Women well catered for under Nana Addo's Gov't – Akufo-Addo

Gender Minister, Otiko Afisa Djaba has said that the Government of Ghana has implemented several policies that has helped improve the status of women in rural Ghana.
These policies, she said, has helped increase the participation of women in the decision making in the country.
“The Government has launched a policy to allocate 30 per cent of all procurement from local businesses to entities owned by women and persons with disability and those established under the Youth Enterprise Fund.  This intervention will help eradicate poverty among the PWDs and rural women,” she said.
The policies, Madam Djaba, addressing the opening session of the 62nd Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW62), at the United Nations Headquarters, New York, USA include the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), Free Senior High School, and the sensitization of the populace on harmful socio-cultural practices in communities identified to have prevalence of these unacceptable practices.
According to the Gender Minister, financial assistance by MASLOC in 2017 targeted 70% of women to increase their access to financial resources.
The Free Senior High School, she said will also impact the lives of rural girls positively by increasing their chances of attaining higher education.
Madam Djaba told the UN session that President Akufo-Addo since his nomination as the African Union Gender Champion in 2017 has helped embolden efforts aimed at championing and promoting gender equality and women participation in decision making.
The Affirmative Action (Gender Equality) Bill, Madam Djaba said has been revised after extensive consultations with stakeholders including Parliamentarians and re-submitted to Cabinet for approval.
Representatives of Member States, UN entities, and ECOSOC-accredited non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from all regions of the world are attending the session which is oh theme: ‘Challenges and Opportunities in Achieving Gender Equality and The Empowerment of Rural Women and Girls”.
The session is being chaired by H.E. Ms. Margaret Kobia, Kenya Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs.
A 26 member delegation from Ghana led by the Gender, Children and Social Protection Minister is attending this year’s CSW62 from 12th – 23rd March 2018.