Gender Ministry commends media

The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection has commended the media for playing a critical role for the attainment of its 2015 set mandate.

“The media provided the Gender Ministry the necessary feedback mechanism, that gave us a bigger platform to reach out to the larger Ghanaian community, and provided medium to educate the public.

“The Ministry also recognises the immense support of the media in helping to create awareness about its programmes, activities and interventions as well as draw public attention to the issues concerned with the core mandate of the Ministry,” Nana Oye Lithur, said in an interview with Ghana News Agency in Accra.

She said: “We also acknowledge the support and assistance of DFID, World Bank, UNICEF, UNDP, UNFPA, and Canada’s Capacity Development Mechanism and a host of local and international non-governmental organisations throughout the 2015 fiscal year.

“Your constant support and concern for the development of our country through the mandate of our Ministry is remarkable.”

Nana Oye Lithur attributed the gains chalked out by the Gender Ministry to the strong collaboration it has sustained with development partners and dedication of staff of the ministry.

She affirmed the commitment of the Gender Ministry to address gender disparity, child right promotion and development as well as the vulnerable in the society.

“The Gender Minister will continue to focus on addressing inequalities and improving the wellbeing of the citizens, particularly the vulnerable who often comprise children, women, the elderly and persons with disabilities.

“Under the watch of our Ministry, we will continue to push forward with our strategic policy objectives to realize a better living standard for our target groups.

“With the continuous commitment and support from stakeholders, the Gender Ministry is poised this year to embark on vigorous campaigns for the attainment of its mandate in promoting gender equality, equity, women and girls empowerment; the rights and welfare of children and strengthening social protection interventions,” she said.

Nana Oye Lithur noted that in line with the Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda (GSGDA) II 2014 - 2017, the Ministry’s focus for 2015 was on achieving the social development and social protection objectives set in the flagship national development programme.

In an overview of 2015, the Gender Minister said the ministry set out to implement programmes to promote gender equity in political, social and economic development systems and outcomes.

“We also set ourselves the task of enhancing public awareness on women’s issues as well as empower women through policy formulation and the creation of appropriate legal regime for mainstreaming of gender into socio-economic development.

“We also planned to put in place the necessary policy and amendment of existing laws to protect children from direct and indirect physical and emotional harm and safeguard the security, safety and protection of the rights of the vulnerable in society, especially the girl child, women, aged and persons living with disabilities,” she said.

“Our targets also included safeguarding citizen’s rights and entitlement and eliminate human trafficking and in the broad mandate based on the social democratic credentials of the government.

“We worked towards developing a comprehensive social development policy framework as well as ensuring a more effective appreciation of, and inclusion of disability issues in the national discourse.”

Nana Oye Lithur noted that through hard work and commitment as well as support from her two Deputy Ministers, the ministry achieved its set target for 2015.

She explained that following the creation of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, it became necessary to restructure the Ministry because of its expanded mandate.

The Ministry therefore required the development and implementation of a well-structured institutional set-up, critical to the achievement of its overarching mandate.

She said the restructuring of the Ministry is still ongoing to meet its current institutional set-up and challenges to enable it to deliver on its mandate.

The Management Services Department (MSD) of the Office of Head of Civil Service was engaged by the Ministry to provide technical assistance on the requisite organisational and institutional framework of the ministry.

The Gender Minister said MSD has completed its work, and submitted a comprehensive restructuring plan to the Ministry.

She said the first phase of the work resulted in the development; Organisational and Management reports; establishment of schedule for officers; and the development of an Organisational Manual (job description).

The second phase involves evaluation of implementing agencies under the Ministry and the Regional and District Offices.

Nana Oye Lithur explained that a change management workshop has been held to ensure proper integration and alignment to the new mission, vision and mandate of the Ministry.