Women urged to take their rightful positions in society

08-03-2011
As today marks the International Day for Women, it is incumbent on women to take up the challenge of occupying their rightful places in society and also contribute their quota to the development of the country. Men on the other hand should help in championing the cause of women and not underestimate their potentials since they serve as important elements in society. The National Director of the Widows and Orphan Ministry, Madam Betty Ayagiba who made the call in an interview with Radio Ghana at Bolgatanga, observed the enormous contribution women play in the socio-economic development of the country, saying that women poses the qualities of manning various positions in the society. Meanwhile their rights are being relegated to the background making them poor and vulnerable. Women’s plight and vulnerability she emphasized is exacerbated by numerous challenges including superstition, apathy, and lack of self confidence among other dehumanizing socio-cultural practices. Madam Ayagiba however stressed the need for women to rise up and defend their right and moreover contribute their quota in the decision making processes of the county. This way, she noted will promote the right of women in all fields of endeavours. She mentioned the education of the girl child as an essential area that needs to be given greater priority and attention in the empowerment of women and called on the government and other relevant stakeholders in the education sector to effectively play their respective roles in the promotion of girl child education, particularly in deprived areas of the country. Madam Ayagiba pointed out that women in northern part of the country are considered the poorest of the poor and attributed illiteracy and cultural practices as some of the challenges hampering their progress in society. Giving women the needed education she added is the only surest way of breaking the shackles of poverty among them. She therefore appealed to traditional authorities to as a matter of concern halt certain dehumanizing practices that impede the progress of women but rather support them through education so that they can develop their potentials to the fullest and also occupy their rightful places in the country. She also charged women not to succumb to such practices but rather see themselves as agents of change capable of turning the fortunes of the country uprightly.
GBC END IA/