Peoples’ Dialogue on Human Settlement, a non-governmental organisation, on Tuesday called on journalists to promote the rights of women to acquire and own property to make them less vulnerable to homelessness.

“This will ensure that they do not fall prey to sexual exploitation to reduce HIV/AIDS in the country,” says Ms Sylvia Noagbesenu, Executive Director of the Initiative for Gender Equality and Development in Africa.

Ms Noagbesenu made the call in Accra when she presented a paper on: “Women’s Property and Inheritance Rights and Identifying challenges of the Media in Promoting Women’s Property and Inheritance Rights in the Context of HIV and AIDS in Ghana,” at a day’s workshop.

The workshop on the theme: “The role of the media in promoting women’s property and inheritance rights in the context of HIV and AIDS in Ghana,” was organised by Peoples’ Dialogue on Human Settlement in Accra with support and assistance from the UN Women-United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women.

Ms Noagbesenu said in securing women’s property rights, various laws such as the Intestate Succession Law (PNDC LIII), and its amendments, the Will Acts, the Marriage Act ( Customary and Ordinance ) and its amendment have been put in place to protect women.

She noted that despite these interventions, the public do not have adequate knowledge about such rights, hence the excessive exploitation of women.

More than 20 journalists at the workshop deliberated on the plight of vulnerable women in the society and how to promote women’s property and inheritance rights through advocacy, to eliminate gender inequality and reduce HIV and AIDS.

Ms Noagbesenu explained that, lack of understanding about the subject matter and inability of women to be empowered to come out of poverty, hinders them from knowing their rights in a patriarchal society.

The workshop identified the link between women’s rights and HIV and AIDS, Women’s Property Inheritance Rights as it pertains in Ghana today as well as the concept of Women Property Inheritance Rights.**