Accra, June 12, GNA - The activism of Ghanaian Civil Society Organizations for gender equality and empowerment received a major boast on Wednesday as the United Nations "Global MDG3 Torch Campaign," was handed over to Nana Oye Lithur to give the campaign new impetus. The campaign focuses at giving the torch to people who are committed to the global crusade for gender equality and empowerment to encourage them to do "something extra for women".

Other Gender Equality and Empowerment Torch bearers in Ghana are Ms. Anna Bossman, Acting Commissioner of CHRAJ as well as Ms. Adisa Lansah Yakubu, Project Co-ordinator of Africa 2000 Network.

Speaking at recognition and handing over ceremony in Accra, Mr Flemming Bj=F8rk Pedersen, Danish Ambassador to Ghana, commended Nana Oye, who is the African Regional Coordinator of the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiatives, for her tireless efforts towards raising the status of women in Ghana.

Mr Pedersen said Nana Oye's acceptance to become a torch bearer put her in the category of committed people who had pledged to "do something extra" in support of gender equality and women's economic empowerment in Ghana.

The Danish Government has decided to champion the third Millennium Development Goal as part of the United Nations-led international campaign for the MDGs which would culminate in an MDG high level event on September 25 in New York.

The final torch would be lit by Mr Ban Ki-Moon, UN Secretary General, at a high level event, and a catalogue of commitments from champion torch-bearers all over the world would be handed over to the UN.

He said empowerment of women was one of the key priority areas guiding Denmark's development policy to reduce poverty. He said the Danish Government sought to promote sustainable development through pro-poor economic growth, equal participation by men and women in the development process, and promotion of respect for human rights, including women's rights.

Mr Pedersen said the Global Call to action was not the only intervention Denmark was undertaking in this direction. In 2007, Denmark launched its Africa Strategy which aims at increasing development assistance to Africa. He said Denmark recognized that women in Africa suffered particularly from poverty, environmental degradation and lack of access to opportunities for sustainable livelihoods, and also from poor governance. Therefore, a key component of the Africa Strategy is a focus on gender equality to secure women's rights and create growth. In this light, the Danish Government has allocated GH¢145 million for interventions on women's empowerment in various countries from 2008 to 2012.

Nana Oye recounted her passion against injustice which translated into student activism at the University of Ghana and Ghana School of Law, women's rights work with the International Federation of Women Lawyers FIDA, Ghana, the African Women Lawyers Association, and finally human rights work with the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative. She said the prime reason for accepting the Torch was to enable her to contribute to achieving gender equality and serve the Ghanaian community and the Commonwealth. "I also believe that we will not achieve the other Millennium Development Goals if we do not work towards achieving gender equality..I am in a position to do things in addition to interventions already planned in respect of the economic and social development of women in Ghana. More importantly, I am committed to this cause of gender equality," she said.

Nana Oye said she would use the Torch to focus on helping to eliminate gender disparity in secondary education in Nkwanta District, Hohoe Municipality and in the Shama Ahanta District. "I believe that focusing on increasing female enrolment in secondary education in Ghana will ultimately lead to economic benefits for the women and the society as a whole. "Women would get better employment with higher education, and would have more opportunities to participate in public life. It will also positively affect the health and nutritional state of children, should they decide to marry and bear children in future. It will increase the self worth and dignity of women in Ghana and improve our values as Ghanaians," Nana Oye said.

She said in Nkwanta District 76 per cent of the population was in rural areas, school attendance was poor and there were twice as many boys in basic education as girls.

Many girls in Nkwanta do not complete their education. From 2002 to 2003, girls enrolment has been higher than that of boys and this shows that there is a growing awareness to send girls to school. Nana Oye said in most developing countries, gender disparities became more glaring when girls entered secondary schools and went to university.

"I will start a mentoring programme not only for the brilliant, but for girls who show promise and are committed to staying in school to learn. I will also start a programme to encourage girls in these areas to take up education more seriously; it will be called 'Show by example'.

"There will also be an advocacy monitoring programme to assess performance and the quality of education in these districts. It will be piloted in Nkwanta and replicated in Hohoe and Shama. It is an arduous task but can be accomplished with cooperation and commitment," Nana Oye stated.