Abantu launches website for women

Accra, Sept. 25, GNA - Abantu for Development, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) dealing with women issues, on Monday launched a website to provide a platform for women to enhance their decision-making by accessing relevant information for their work.

The website, www.abantu-rowa.org, to be used by all incumbent and aspiring women Members of Parliament and District Assemblies, would also be used to promote good governance and strengthen networking among women.

Mr Kwaku Antwi-Boasiako, Programme Manager for Abanbtu, launching the website said it had come to their notice that women's effective participation in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) policy-making was limited and their specific issues and interests were not reflected in ICT content.

"Not only will they have access to all the information posted on the site but they will also have their own page to give information about themselves as leaders; discuss their views and ideas on national issues; seek public views about their initiatives and raise funds to implement projects."

Mr Antwi-Boasiako explained that until the Government intervened in the provision of ICT infrastructure and services, rural communities and the poor would be left out in the information age.

Some of the highlights on the website would include "Share your Views"; "Women in Society" and "Downloadable Reports".

Mrs Charity Binka, a journalist and women activist, urged all to vote for more women in Tuesday's District Assembly Election. "Women, whenever given the opportunity to exhibit the leadership qualities excel. Let us give them the chance to deliver."

She noted that Ghana at 50 had not fully involved more women in decision-making in the assembly system since its inception and called for the implementation of the 30 per cent representation in the assemblies.

Dr Rose Mensah-Kutin, Director of Abantu, expressed concern about the slow progress that women had made in getting elected into the assemblies to represent their perspectives and agenda effectively and described that as problematic.

She said women constituted more than 50 per cent of the population but the affairs of the State were being conducted on the basis of gender disparities.

"We are defeating our own commitment to international protocols and national legislative frameworks that advocate equality and equity principles."

Dr Mensah-Kutin commended all women contesting the district assembly elections for their bravery and urged the electorate to vote more women to take part in the country's decision-making process for better development.