Dr Naana Agyemang-Mensah, Country Director of the Hunger Project-Ghana, a civil society organization, has urged women elected to political positions to work hard to make a difference and let their impact be felt.
She said their voices must be heard loud at the decision making levels where they have been placed and that it is not enough to see the number of women in active politics increased but to ensure that they bring quality to bear on the governance system.
Dr Agyemang-Mensah said this when speaking at the closing session of a three-day training workshop on human rights for 52 selected assembly women at Fumesua near Kumasi.
The event was jointly organized by the Hunger Project-Ghana, FIDA-Ghana and WILDAF-Ghana, and it is part of a three-year programme designed to help break down barriers to women’s participation in politics.
It has been dubbed “We know politics project” and under the programme, women already into politics are assisted to have better understanding of gender and development issues.
Dr Agyemang-Mensah said, matters bothering on their welfare and that of children could be well served when women play useful parts in policy decision-making and encouraged them to be bold and to refuse any form of intimidation.
She said, they should also unite and fight for a common cause rather than becoming their own enemies.
Some of the issues discussed at the event include:“Gender and the political process”, “Rights of the Ghanaian women”, “Reproductive and sexual health rights”, “Communication skills” and “Political violence and conflict resolution”.**
