WA, April 2, GNA - Covert land and chieftaincy disputes coupled with political bickering had torn the once peaceful and united communities in the Upper Region apart and weakened community mobilization, resulting in high poverty rate in the area. Mrs. Helen Koranteng, Executive Director of the Centre for Rural Women Empowerment and Development (CERWED) a non-governmental organization operating in the region, made the observation at a day's workshop for selected women leaders from the nine districts of the region, at Wa on Wednesday.

The participants included district gender desk officers, constituency women organizers of the National Democratic Congress and the New Patriotic Party, leaders of disabled women's groups and women's leaders in agriculture, trade and other business sectors. The event sought to deliberate on the needs and demands of women and their expectations from local and national policy makers and development partners.

Mrs. Koranteng asked women not to always focus on bringing out their problems for public support instead they should inspire each other to play leadership role and step up advocacy since nobody could do it better than the women themselves.

He noted that the abuse of women and cultural stereotypes and beliefs militated against the development of women in the country. Mrs. Koranteng urged women to change their attitude and mindset to enable them to transform their socio-economic and political status. She congratulated people of the region for the peace that characterized the 2008 Elections in the region but called for an end to the "political kick-boxing" prevalent in the area to promote unity and development.