The Organisation of African Trade Union Unity (OATUU)has called on all trade unions in Africa to use the International Women’s Day celebration to promote gender equality and empowerment of women in the world of work.

“At the celebration and acknowledgement to their immense contribution to food security, peace, security and development OATUU salutes women all over the world, insisting on the dire need for strategic investment in them for a meaningful change in the world and in Africa in particular.”

The call was contained in a statement signed by Mr Hassan A. Sunmonu (OON), Secretary General of OATUU, to commemorate the Day in Accra.

It said “OATUU congratulates all women worldwide on the occasion of International Women’s Day. Commemoration of this important day on the theme: “Empower Rural Women- End Hunger and Poverty”,and that theme is important since rural women, who constitute an integral part of society and whose toil contribute to provision of the food basket, have not been adequately empowered and supported.

“They must be given recognition and be engaged in all areas of socio-economic endeavours, no matter the cost”.

“OATUU recognises the fact that the equal opportunities that lead to active participation of women and men will enhance security, social progress, decent employment, as well as promote human rights and fundamental freedom.

“Investing in women through education and empowerment programmes is very crucial in order to achieve an effective gender mainstreaming at all levels as well as attain the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.

“As women have been deprived of possibilities of benefiting from economic growth and globalization due to prolonged inequalities, expenditure on women empowerment should be considered worthwhile and in public interest.”

“This is fundamental if we can eradicate poverty and provide basis needs of which food is one. This is crucial in the world – and in African in particular where poverty level levels are high and rising hunger rates have become a threat to socio-economic progress.

“On this important day, our organisation calls for combined and elaborate initiatives at all levels, aimed at promoting the advancement of women from the grassroots, particularly those in the rural areas so as to directly reach vulnerable women who are mostly in the informal economy.

“These community based measures must be linked to and supported by macro development policies to ensure that hunger and food insecurity become a thing of the past.”