Accra, April 14, GNA - The Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), would from this year begin a process to facilitate the passage of legislation on women's rights, Ms. Anna Bossman, acting Commissioner of CHRAJ, said on Monday. She said; "The Commission will pay particular attention to government's Affirmative Action Policy and monitor the recommendations contained in the Women's Manifesto with the view of passing legislation in favour of women's rights with particular regard to women's economic empowerment."
Ms. Bossman made the announcement at a brief ceremony, where the Danish Ambassador, Mr. Flemming Bjork Pedersen handed over a torch to her to symbolise a call on her to "do something extra" for the realisation of gender equality and women's empowerment, which is the third Millennium Development Goal (MDG3).She is one of three women in Ghana, who would bear the torch and champion a campaign launched on March 7, 2008 by the Danish Minister of Development Co-operation, Ms. Ulla Tornaes, to ensure that all governments consider gender equality and women's empowerment key development issues. The other two Ghanaian torchbearers are Nana Oye Lithur, Country Coordinator of Commonwealth Human Rights Institute, and Ms. Adisa Lansah Yakubu, Project Co-ordinator for Africa 2000 Network.
The campaign was initiated as a result of the fact that despite global acknowledgement of the importance of efforts to ensure women's empowerment, half way to 2015, when MDG3 should be achieved, the status of women still leaves a lot to be desired, Ms. Tornaes underscored.
Ms. Bossman stated that her campaign would be under the banner: "Not because of your perfection, but because of your potential", saying that even though they were not perfect, women and girls had great potential to be factors of positive change in their societies. "But they must strive to recognise and accept that they, do have potential and all of us must encourage and help them to believe in themselves," she said. She noted that, added to the fact that women and girls are largely marginalized in terms of opportunities for education, economic and political empowerment, among others, the fact that women themselves do not come forward when they could and when they should was a problem.
Ms. Bossman said, besides seeking the passage of legislation on women's rights, she would also work with NGOs and institutions that advocated gender equality and equity to further deepen the Commission's commitment to promoting gender mainstreaming in state institutions and consistency in ensuring sustainable gender equality. "On a personal level, I commit to speaking, motivating and encouraging young girls and women in all social spheres in any way I can, by organizing fora, activities to let them be seen and heard and to make them aware of their rights and what they can do to achieve economic empowerment.
"I plan to join up with like minded persons locally and internationally to consider setting up a foundation, much on the lines of Ms Foundation for Women and Girls," she said.
Mr. Pedersen said, as part of the campaign, a 12-member internationally acclaimed MDG3 Champion Network, which includes Mrs. Akoss Ofori Mensah, a Ghanaian Publisher had been constituted to champion the cause of women world-wide and there would also be the MDG3 Conference on April 17 this year to discuss solutions for accelerating the implementation of MDG3. Mr. Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas and ECOWAS Commission President, among other prominent Ghanaians would attend the Conference.
