Women urged to put pressure on Parliament

Kumasi, Sept. 15, GNA - Women have been urged to put pressure on Parliament to expedite action on the legislation on equitable distribution of properties acquired during marriage among divorced couples.

Mr Charles Gyamfi-Danquah, Ashanti Regional Director of Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), said, even though, the passage of the law was a requirement under the 1992 Constitution, Parliament had failed to pass it since its inception in 1993.

Mr Gyamfi-Danquah was speaking at a sensitisation seminar for selected women groups in the Kumasi Metropolis on Monday as part of activities marking the 10th anniversary celebration of CHRAJ in Kumasi. His topic was: "Human rights with special emphasis on women and children's rights."

Mr Gyamfi-Danquah said the ineffectiveness of the current laws on how to share properties acquired during marriages among divorced couples had contributed to the numerous litigation and wrangling that often led to the failure of the aggrieved partners to take care of the children. He advised the electorate, especially women, to put pressure on politicians to provide social and economic amenities that would help improve their living conditions.

Mr Gyamfi-Danquah said it was the responsibility of parents to provide the needs of their children to prevent them from engaging in harmful and dangerous jobs that could affect their proper development. Mr Augustus Anane-Quebah, Principal Investigator of the Commission, who spoke on: 'Interstate Succession Law', advised widows and widowers, who were not satisfied with the sharing of the properties of their deceased spouses to report to the Commission for redress.

He also advised couples to prepare their wills before they died to prevent litigation that were associated with the sharing of legacies.