UNAIDS/Stratcomm walk for women’s rights

The United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and Strategic Communications Africa Ltd (Stratcomm Africa) have organised a public walk and forum on women empowerment and HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment.

The walk, which formed part of UNAIDS’ month-long celebration of international Women’s Day, began at the Osu Police Station, through the John Evans Atta Mills High Street and ended at Mantse Agbonaa in James Town.

The community forum at Jamestown was treated to music and drama from the youth of the Centre for Development and Intercultural Communication (CEDIC).

The event was patronised by the Ghana AIDS Commission, the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), Ga Mashie Development Agency (GAMADA), University of Ghana Allied Health Students’ Association (UGAHSA) and Women’s Rights advocates such as Nanahemaa Adjoa Awindor, Executive Director of Obaapa Development Foundation.

The United Nations Resident Coordinator, Ms Christine Evans-Klock said it was worthy to celebrate the Beijing Conference on Women and the successes that had been achieved in its wake for women’s rights and to remind everyone of the incomplete agenda.

She said though noteworthy achievements had been made, such as the inclusiveness of education for girls and reduction of maternal mortality, there was a lot yet to be done.

“We are still called to action just as we were twenty years ago”, she said.

Ms Evans-Klock commended Ghana for having a Ministry for Women, Children and Social Protection and for making significant contributions to the attainment of the millennium development goals.

Ms Esther Cobbah, the Chief Executive Officer of Stratcomm Africa, said that “Womenomics”, a term coined by Kathy Matsui, a Japanese business executive, to denote the idea of employing women and allowing them into leadership, needed a boost in Ghana and Africa.

She highlighted the need to remove the traditional position of “the woman as a housewife, manager of the home and nothing more”, and to remind people that HIV/AIDS was still a reality.

The event provided free HIV testing which was patronized by scores of people.