Equal rights/opportunities for women and girls project launched

The African Centre for Human Rights and Sustainable Development (AfCHuRSD) has launched a project dubbed: "Equal Rights and Opportunities for Women and Girls Project (EROP)" at Nadowli.

The project, which will be implemented across 10 communities in the Nadowli-Kaleo District and Jirapa Municipality was proposed as a result of the numerous human rights challenges women and girls, in particular, continue to face.

Speaking during the launching of the project, Madam Bernice Naah, Executive Director of AfCHuRSD, noted that the challenges prohibited them from realising their rights and also taking opportunities for the advancement of their ambitions in order for them to live fulfilled lives.

Madam Naah said the project, therefore, sought to ensure that women and girls in Ghana realised their human rights and utilized opportunities to better their lot.

To achieve this goal, the Executive Director of AfCHuRSD said it was necessary to educate women and girls on their human rights and those of others and opportunities available to them in order for them to be empowered to hold duty bearers accountable.

"Again, it was necessary to train women and girls on entrepreneurial skills and opportunities for economic empowerment", she added.

Furthermore, the project will strengthen the capacity of social justice institutions and train community support teams for them to work closely for the prevention of violence and intervention when violence was perpetrated.

Madam Naah pointed out that the project would advocate the passage of the Affirmative Action Bill, which she said was pending for more than two decades.

It would equally see increased support for women and girls in communities and in schools on their human rights so that issues of violations were addressed and respect for everyone's rights sustained.

Madam Catherine T. Lankono, the District Chief Executive for Nadowli-Kaleo expressed gratitude for the inclusion of her district among the few districts to benefit from the project.

She said women empowerment was cardinal for development and called for cooperation among stakeholders to ensure a successful implementation.

"If we all play our roles as expected of us, the project will become successful and I believe when that happens, it will be scaled up to other communities", Madam Lankono said.

The EROP Project is being funded by the Dutch Embassy in Ghana with implementation partnership by GH Alliance, AfCHuRSD and WOMEN IN NEED (WIN).

The launching and inception meeting was attended by women and girls, Chiefs, Assembly members, health officials, religious leaders, security services and the media among others.