Gender Minister launches ‘HeForShe’ Campaign to solicit support for women

Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Madam Otiko Afisa Djaba is urging Ghanaians especially the men, to intensify pressure on government to pass Affirmative Action Bill, which is currently before Ghana's Parliament to end discrimination and actions that stifles the empowerment of women in the country.

She made the call when she launched an initiative by the Ministry dubbed "HeForShe" media campaign in Accra aimed at mobilizing over 2 million men to stand up and support women and take actions that lead to empowerment and gender equality for both men and women.

The initiative, which is centered on three key issues namely; affirmative action, ending negative traditional practices and economic empowerment of women, is to encourage men to be more responsible for their children and family, to improve care and maintenance and curb the menace of street children.

“It is also expected that the HeForShe campaign will ensure that we continue to develop our policies and work strategically to achieve real change in the life of women and importantly men becoming the medium for such change,” she said.

According to the Minister, the use of men is motivated by the fact achieving gender equality is a collective national responsibility and a mutual agenda for both men and women.

“Ghana has the extra responsibility and cannot fail to ensure success for this HeForShe campaign, coming on the heels of our visionary President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who is the Au gender champion, and co-chair of the sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and soon to be honoured as Ambassador Extraordinaire for the ‘HeForShe’ campaign,” Otiko said.

The Minister who expressed serious concerns about gender based violence which continues to persist in the country urged the law enforcement agencies to deal with the situation.

“Women and girls are most of the time at the receiving end of harmful practices such as widowhood rites, female genital mutilation, Trokosi, early child marriage, operation of witches camps etc. as well as vices such as rape, defilement, child prostitution and domestic violence.

The time is now for men and boys to come together to stand up and speak out against these negative harmful practices so Ghana becomes an example of a gender based violence –free country and be a country that frowns and condemn any negative culture or tradition that are injurious to the rights and development of women and girls,” she stated.

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