Mr. Sulemana Gbene, the Assistant Programme Manager of Plan Ghana, has called on women and young girls to be tactical in demanding respect for their rights from men in order not to provoke them.

They should rather try to win their support in their struggle for freedom and empowerment.

He said it was extremely difficult to get men, especially those in the rural areas, out of primitive cultural beliefs to understand the rights of women so they should be more patient in dealing with such men.

Mr. Gbene made the call at a durbar organized by the Sissala Literacy and Development Programme (SILDEP) to mark this year’s International Women’s Day celebration at Gwollu in the Sissala West District of the Upper West Region.

The celebration of the day brought together over 200 young women and girls who embarked on a clean-up exercise at the Gwollu Health Center before a durbar at the Gwollu chief’s palace.

Mr. Moses Dramani Luri, the Executive Director of SILDEP noted that the celebration of the day formed part of SILDEP’s strategy to engage civil society organizations, traditional rulers and opinion leaders to fight the cause of young women and girls in the District.

It is also to educate young women and girls on the four thematic areas of the “Girl Power Project” which include girl child education; young women’s economic empowerment, their political participation as well as the protection of their rights.

Mr. Yakubu Kaayi, the Prgramme Coordinator of Action in Development, (ADEV) identified rural urban migration, early marriage and the relegation of young women and girls to the background, especially in decision making, as key cultural practices that affected the welfare of young women and girls in the District.

He called for more education to enlighten the people.

Madam Stella Kuntege, the Sissala West District Girl Child Education Officer, said the practice of kinship was an obstacle that prevented perpetrators of violence against girls and young women from being punished.

She urged the people to do away with it so that offenders would be punished to serve as a deterrent to others.

Mr. Edmond Sibiri, the Assembly Member for Jawsiala Electoral Area, who represented the Paramount Chief of Gwollu, Kuoro Kuri Limann Buktie, commended SILDEP and Plan Ghana for bringing the project to the District.

He underscored the important role that women played in society, saying any effort made to empower girls and young women was an indirect transformation of society, which must be supported.**