GTUC salutes women as they celebrate Day

The Ghana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) on Wednesday urged government to continue supporting the establishment of rural educational infrastructure in each community to make education more accessible to many children especially girls.

"Whilst much progress has been made in promoting gender equality in our society; much remains to be done. With increased commitment from policy makers, women and men working together in our society can reduce gender imbalances, " it added.

The call was contained in a congratulatory statement issued by Mr Kofi Asamoah, Secretary-General of GTUC to mark International Women’s Day (IWD) on Thursday, March 8.

"As we mark this year’s International Women’s Day, the call is for each of us to involve and inspire as many young girls and young women as we can to enable them to contribute their quota in the socio-economic and political development of our country."

This year’s celebration is on the theme: “Connecting Girls: Inspiring Futures.”

The statement said Ghana had signed onto many international and regional Agreements and Conventions that sought to promote gender equality.

"In spite of these laws, Ghanaian women still encounter biases and discriminatory practices in employment, marriage, divorce and access to resources, such as land, labour, finance and technology."

Each year, IWD is celebrated to mark the economic, political and social achievements of women. It is a day when women are recognised for their achievements, regardless of their age, ethnicity, culture, economic or political differences.

Since 1911, when the first IWD was marked in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland, the day has assumed a new global dimension for women all over the world.

The statement said the untapped potential in the young girls and young women in the country could be harnessed, by involving them in the different developmental processes, to ensure that the chain of excellence in the advancement of women’s rights and promotion of gender equality was growing and continuing in generations to come.

Girls begin to mature into young women when they are in Upper Primary and in the Senior High School. They go through many changes and need support.

"We therefore need to help young girls to see different options or different ways of solving challenges facing them and in making the best possible decisions."

Despite the widespread claim that all people have equal rights to education, majority of girls do not have access to primary education especially in the rural areas, despite the fact that this is the fundamental educational formative stage of every person.

It said there are so many talented girls and young women, whose abilities have not been fully exploited, due to lack of access to education and training.