The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection would mark the International Women’s Day, slated for March 8, with national, regional and district gender activism.

The 2016 International Women’s day, on the general theme: “Pledge for Parity,” seeks to rally everyone to help achieve gender parity more quickly, Nana Oye Lithur, the Minister, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview on preparations to mark the day in Ghana.

“Each of us can be a leader within our own spheres of influence and commit to take pragmatic action to accelerate gender parity,” she said.

Nana Oye Lithur said worldwide, women continued to contribute to social, economic, cultural and political achievement ...“and we have much to celebrate today. But progress towards gender parity has slowed in many places.”

She said as part of activities to mark the day, the Ministry would encourage political parties, gender activists, Parliament, security agencies and other stakeholders to pledge to move from talk to purposeful action.

Nana Oye Lithur lauded the effort of gender pace-setters in Ghana, Africa and on the international arena.

“Whilst we mark the day on the bigger platform, we must not forget the woman at Makola Market who always wakes up early to go and sell for the children to eat; the woman in the village at Sewfi Anyinabrime who had to go to the farm daily to pay the school fees of her children.

“And the woman gathering shea nuts in the Upper East Region to provide for the daily needs of the family; we need also to remember women who passed away just in their attempt to bring another life to this world, the woman who has been banished into the witches’ camp, or neglected because she has been accused of one ill or another.

“We must also salute the effort of single mothers, and some outstanding men who have contributed tremendously to the gender movement.”

Nana Oye Lithur said Ghana must use the day to reflect on women and girls who were still adversely affected by sexual abuse, physical violence, and who went through various forms of harmful traditional practices.

“We must collectively work towards reducing the high prevalence of gender based violence in schools…fight against our children who are being daily exposed to pornography through the internet, and spousal abuse,” she said.

Nana Oye Lithur said the Ministry would set out to implement modalities for the progressive legislative and social intervention programmes to ensure gender equality through the promotion of the welfare system and protection of children, whiles empowering the vulnerable through social interventions.

The International Women’s Day is celebrated across the world to highlight the vital role women play in enhancing economic security for their families, communities and countries as a whole, while recognising that significant barriers to achieving women’s economic security and equality continue to exist.