MOWAC makes strides in development of women and children.

Accra, Feb.4, GNA- The Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs (MOWAC) has made great strides in the empowerment, growth and development of women and children who account for about 50 percent of the population.

Mrs Gladys Asmah Minister of the sector said at the 'Meet the press' series on Tuesday that the improvement in the lives women and children was evident especially in the rural areas where their living standards have improved tremendously.

She said empowering women and children with the view to enhancing their prospects for protection and self-development was challenging but MOWAC through its other partners would work to achieve th is goal.

"The vision of the new ministry is to work towards the emergence of a harmonious society with equity and equality between the male and female genders and in which the survival, protection and development of the child are guaranteed."

Mrs Asmah said it has become evident that there still remained various forms of violence and abuse and subjugation of women at the various levels of society.

The Ministry had accordingly evolved a mission to enable it direct its policies towards the ultimate realization of its vision through formulation of gender and child specific development policies, she added.

She said another priority was the equal status and equity in opportunities for women through the elimination of discrimination and subjugation of women to second citizen status.

Mrs Asmah said following the establishment of the Ministry, an assessment on the situation of women indicated that there were major inequalities and imbalances between men and women in politics and governance, economic, social and cultural roles.

To uplift the image of women, MOWAC had established the Women's Development Fund (WDF) to provide micro-credit facilities to vulnerable groups of women on the fringes of subsistence economy through the network of rural banks and some major banks.

She said the micro credit facilities from a minimum of 500,000 to one million cedis had been granted to women engaged in farming, fish mongering and agro processing across the country.

Mrs Asmah said the Ministry had instituted various educational and advocacy programmes geared towards changing societal and perceptions to issues like rape, defilement, discrimination in education and career placement.

"We also have a programme code named 'Operation bring the c hildren home' under which the Ministry is spearheading the return of children trafficked from some coastal fishing communities to Yeji and communities around the Volta Lake.

MOWAC was established two years ago to empower women and children, protect their rights and advocate for change in traditional and cultural practices and attitudes that deny them equality and equity.

It was also to restructure and re-orient where necessary, the Ghana National Commission on Women and Development (NCWD) and the Ghana National Commission on Children (GNCC) established in 1975 and 1979 respectively.