The ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection has launched the National Gender Policy in Accra today.

The ultimate goal of this Policy is to mainstream gender equality concerns into the national development processes by improving the social, legal, civic, political, economic and socio-cultural conditions of the people of Ghana, particularly women, children, the vulnerable and people with special needs, persons with disability and the marginalized.

Welcoming dignitaries to the event, the minister for Gender children and Social Protection, Nana Oye Lithur said “Gender mainstreaming” is meant to bring women’s perspectives to the centre of attention, ( which is the mainstream) by working to ensure that all policies, programmes and activities take the contributions, priorities and needs of both women and men into consideration.

We consider this strategy is essential because it will help to ensure the achievement of gender equality. It is also critical for achieving sustainable development goals in all areas, such as those related to poverty, education, health, agriculture and the environment.

According to her,the journey to develop a gender policy to replace the National Gender and Children Policy which began three years ago became necessary because the National Gender and Children Policy of 2004 did not adequately address gender related concerns and hence the need to develop a national policy framework that deals comprehensively with gender equality, equity and the empowerment of women and girls for development.

She said Ghana’s goals towards achieving gender equality targets are guided by commitments in the Constitution. Article 17(1) and (2) particularly of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana guarantees gender equality and freedom of women and men, girls and boys from discrimination on the basis of social or economic status among others. This policy is also based on International Instruments on gender equality, equity and empowerment.

Hon. Oye Lithur is positive, that the policy that was launched today will help to address challenges, such as,

• Inequality in access to social protection by the marginalized, vulnerable and the poor
• Inequalities in the burden of extreme poverty, education, skilled training gaps and excess maternal mortality.

• Unequal access to social, economic power and justice including lack of respect for and inadequate protection and promotion of human rights of women

• Inequalities between women and men in sharing of power and decision making at all levels and in dealing with all kinds of conflicts and insecurities and threats on women.

• Stereotyping and persistent discrimination against women that manifest in negative gender relations.

She is of the view that the talk of Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment is a strategy to reduce poverty levels, social injustice among women and men, improving health standards and enhancing efficiency of public and private sector investments. Gender equality therefore is means for attaining human rights and a pre-requisite for sustainable development.

The minister mentioned that the New Gender Policy has areas of concern upon which its overall goal will be delivered. These areas concern gender equality issues for policy response, resource allocation, programme development and accountability actions for achieving gender equality targets as well as social safeguards for women’s empowerment. These policy commitments were developed from lessons and challenges in the sector and from the implementation of the 2004 Gender and Children policy.

Hon. Oye Lithur Said, her Ministry committed to this process to develop a gender policy because of the goals towards achieving gender equality targets guided by commitments in the Constitution. Article 17(1) and (2) particularly of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana guarantees gender equality and freedom of women and men, girls and boys from discrimination on the basis of social or economic status among others. This policy is also based on International Instruments on gender equality, equity and empowerment”.

On her part The Chief Justice, Justice Georgina Theodora Woode said she was very excited about the policy because it touches on issues that are very dear to her, saying she had been observing the work of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection since its creation by an Executive Instrument in 2013. She observed that the Ministrty is living up to its calling to work for the rights of women, children, the aged and the vulnerable. 'gender inequality has been a bane for Africa’s development. It has been proven that this situation exists because of the historical legacy of patriarchal influences and the form of socialization received from homes to public settings'said the Chief Justice.

According to her, an attempt to address the challenges posed by these inequities, successive governments in Ghana have made conscious efforts by promoting girl-child education, social development and protection.
She mentioned that Millions of women around the world continue to experience discrimination, adding that Laws and policies prohibit women from equal access to land, property, and housing.

Touching on women contribution to development of the country, Her Lordship Justice Theodora Woods explained that, In Ghana women constitute more than half the agricultural labour force and producing 70 per cent of the country's food stock. Women constitute 95 per cent of those involved in agro processing and 85 per cent of those in food distribution. Besides, agriculture-related activities, smallholder women farmers are heavily engaged in domestic and reproductive tasks, which are crucial to the maintenance of households, and communities.

'The predominant role of women in agriculture has enabled most women farmers to become increasingly responsible for the educational and other material needs of their wards, especially for female headed households' she added.

Endind with a quote from the UN Secretary General: “investing in women is not only the right thing to do. It is the smart thing to do,” She agreed with the UN Secretary General’s conviction that “in women, the world has at its disposal, the most significant and yet largely untapped potential for development and peace.” This is because investing in women is the smart thing to do.