Ghana, will on March 8, join the rest of the world to celebrate International Women’s Day, to reflect on the progress made after 20 years of Beijing Plan of Action, and celebrate acts of courage and determination of individual women in the history of women empowerment.

The Day, on the global theme: “Empowering Women, Empowering Humanity: Picture It,” will also review challenges and achievements 20 years after the endorsement.

In Ghana, a local theme coined “Beijing +20, Advancing Women’s Empowering,” will take stock of Ghana’s achievements in women empowerment after 20 years of Beijing, and organize a month-long activities.

Briefing the media in Accra to launch the month-long celebration, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mrs Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong, acknowledged that despite the successes chalked in advancing women empowerment, key challenges remained in the implementation of the Beijing Plan of Action in Ghana.

She listed low representation of women in key decision-making posts, which was still below 30 percent, difficulties of enforcing laws, and addressing challenges faced by women when addressing justices system, lack of gender disaggregated data, negative cultural perceptions of gender equality, inability to adequately handle gender issues in HIV/AIDS and inadequate access of women to productive resources, such land, technology, information and credit.

“The presented challenges indicate that there is the need for broad based multi-sectoral interventions for advancement of women’s empowerment agenda. It also calls for effective action by all partners in the advancement of women advancement”, she added.

The activities lined up for the one-month celebration, started from March 4, with a fashion exhibition

code-named “#MyDressMyChoices, which focused on the abuse of women and violence against women, and sexism encountered by woman’s freedom to everything, including her clothing.

March 9 will have the screening of “Love or Something Like That” a Shirley Frimpong-Manso movie for women in corporate Ghana, engage senior young women leaders on Viasat 1’s “Good Morning” Show, and crown the month with a women’s health walk and street drama on March 28.

It will target women in the informal sector, walking from Osu to converge at James Town where a drama sketch will convey women empowerment messages.

UNAIDS Country Director, Girmay Haile, explained that empowering humanity was possible if every person, irrespective of gender, was given equal opportunity to fully develop their potentials.

He noted that efforts towards the promotion and protection of women’s rights, will continue even after the celebration, to enable Ghana consolidate the gains to build momentum towards achieving greater results after 2015.

“Women empowerment will be meaningless or impossible of a women does not enjoy good health. After all, human dignity has no end and neither will the duty to respect human rights of all,” he added.