The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Hon. Nana Oye Lithur, has reaffirmed her outfit's commitment to promoting Gender Equality, Children's Education as well as empowering the vulnerable in society.

“The Ministry will continue to ensure gender equality, promote the welfare and protection of children and empower the vulnerable in society to create a harmonious society in which the survival and development of the sexes, vulnerable and persons with disability are guaranteed,” Hon. Oye Lithur stated.

The Minister made these remarks in Accra on Tuesday after she received the 2015 DUSUSU Award for Africa Education Development, in recognition of her enormous contribution to Girl-Child education in Ghana.

The Dream Up, Speak Up, Stand Up Award for Education (DUSUSU) Foundation was founded by the 13th most influential African, Zuriel Oduwole.

The DUSUSU Project awards recognize individuals who have shown a strong support for the education of children in Africa. Presenting the award, 12-year-old Zuriel, who is also said to be the youngest movie maker in the world, lauded the Minister for her enormous contribution to Girl-Child education in Ghana.

According to her, she had through her Foundation, made the case for Girls Education and had spoken to more than 20,000 Children in seven countries, namely, Tanzania, Malawi, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Mauritius and the UK about the need to stay in school, get a sound education, and not get married young.

Hon Oye Lithur was selected for the award through a competitive process. Three nominees were shortlisted for this year's award out of which the Minister emerged the winner.

Receiving the award, the Minister expressed her appreciation for the honour done her, saying,” I want to express my sincere appreciation and thanks to Zuriel and the DUSUSU team for this Award. I am truly humbled and honoured for this gesture.”

She dedicated the award to families and single mothers who struggled in the scorching Sun on a daily basis to send their children to school and to all who had realised the need to keep the girl-child in school.

Hon Lithur indicated that the beauty of the award was the fact that it came from a girl who was herself in school and had not yet gained employment, but had seen the importance of education.

She said, “This award is an encouragement to me, to continue my personal drive for the right of all persons, including the right to education to be preserved. Let us all dream up, speak up and stand up for education.”

Hon. Oye Lithur, is a lawyer by profession and has distinguished herself as a human rights lawyer, and an advocate for gender equality.

She has won many international and national awards. In 2013, she was pronounced the 4th African Woman Achiever among 25 other African female presidents, politicians and Nobel Peace laureates.

She has served on various international boards, committees and commissions including International Consortium on Medical Abortion, African Consortium on Medical Abortion and Global Consortium on Realizing Rights.

She established the NOYEL Foundation, a personal initiative, aimed at encouraging young girls to aspire to greater heights by becoming leaders in the Ghanaian society and the world at large.

Under her leadership, the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection has formulated the Child and Family Welfare policy which aims at promoting the welfare of the Ghanaian child.