Stakeholders urged to collaborate more on achieving gender parity in Ghana

The Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP Ghana, Ms. Silke Hollander has called on all stakeholders to work collectively towards achieving gender parity in all spheres of life to improve the wellbeing of women and girls.

She made this call at the launch of the second Ghana National Action Plan (GHANAP II) on the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325, which calls for the protection of the rights of women and girls in conflict situations and advocate for their participation in peace processes.

Ms. Hollander underscored the importance of gender parity and women empowerment in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Ghana. She noted that gender equality and the realization of women’s rights, including in conflicts and their empowerment are essential and cross-cutting issues that impact all the SDGs and encouraged all stakeholders to continue to work together to ensure the full implementation of the action plan.

“The most important work lies ahead through the implementation of these actions towards the achievement of the resolution’s objectives. I therefore call on all of us here to contribute towards the effective implementation of the GHANAP II”, she stated.

The overall goal of GHANAP II is to build an inclusive, secured and peaceful societies for all, especially women and girls in Ghana, anchored on the tenets of UNSCR 1325. The plan is structured along the main UNSCR 1325 pillars which are: participation, protection, prevention, relief, recovery and rehabilitation.

In a speech read on her behalf, the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Hon. Cynthia Mamle Morrison pledged Ghana’s continues commitment to pursue policies and programmes that promote and empower women and girls in line with international treaties, protocols and legal frameworks such as the UNSCR 1325.

She described the launch of GHANAP II as timely, noting that its overall goal is critical to the protection of women and maintenance of national peace and security especially in this election year.

“The action plan is very crucial for us because we need to get the peace message to all and sundry especially the youth to consolidate the relative peace we are enjoying now”, Hon. Cynthia Mamle Morrison said.

The launch of GHANAP II was part of activities outlined to commemorate this year’s International Women’s Day Celebration in Ghana on the theme: Generation Equality: Advancing Women and Girls Rights in Ghana. 2020 also marks the 20th anniversary of the UNSCR 1325 on Women Peace and Security as well as the 25^th year of the adoption of the Beijing Platform for Action on Gender Equality.