Do away with stereotypical ideas - Nana Sasraku

Speakers at a function at Mamfe Akuapem, in the Akuapem North District, to commemorate the International Day of Women have called on women to do away with stereotypical ideas and embrace opportunities that had been created for women’s empowerment.

The speakers noted that despite some challenges that persisted on the way of women having equal access to all life endeavors as men, there was the need for women themselves to liberate their minds.

They said stereotypical ideas like the notion that a woman’s success depended on a man or a husband and higher education was not for a woman should be discarded in order to progress.

The Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), in collaboration with the Assembly organized the durbar to educate women on their rights.

It was on the theme “Using Human Rights to empower Women to stop hunger and Poverty”.

Nana Ansah Sasraku, the Kyidomhene of Akuapem, who chaired the function, said the notion that giving birth to many children was a sign of great womanhood was wrong and that women must not allow childbearing to hinder their development.

He said childbearing or family raising, was an act of two persons including men and therefore women must not allow themselves to be relegated to the background.

Mr George Opare-Addo, the Akuapem North District Chief Executive, said successive governments had put in place measures in line with international convention on women’s rights to shore up their socio-economic development.

He cited for instance the PNDC law 111 that supports women in times of difficulties and added that women only needed to embrace the opportunities and empower themselves since it was the best support in times of any difficulty.

He said if women failed to do away with the stereotypical ideas and continue to use many children to define themselves then all efforts would come to a naught.

Mrs Araba Quayson, the District Director of CHRAG, said education, shelter, food and clothing were human rights issues that no one should be denied.

She called on women to be more assertive and disabuse their minds on the notion that had only contributed to their relegation to the background in all aspects of development.

Earlier, women groups in the district took a health walk from Amanokrom through to Larteh junction to raise awareness of the rights of women and the need to be empowered for national development.