The acting President of the United Nations Association (Gh), Bishop Peter Kojo Sackey has expressed concern that despite the provision of gender parity in the 1992 Constitution, women still lagged behind in terms of representation in Parliament and key positions.
He has, therefore, called for deliberate plan of action to encourage more women to aspire for higher positions to ensure gender equality in governance and public offices.
Bishop Sackey said it was in line with the promotion of women representation that some political parties, government and civil society organisations continue to make interventions to increase women participation in governance.
He said this at the inauguration of the Mozano Senior High School (MOSEC) chapter of the United Nations Association, as part of activities marking the 70th anniversary of the World Federation of the United Nations Associations (WFUNA) at Mozano in the Gomoa West District of the Central Region, last Friday.
The theme for the anniversary was: “Stronger WFUNA, Better World “ and was organised by the Central Regional Chapter of the United Nations Association of Ghana (UNAG).
He urged women to take advantage of the interventions to aspire to higher positions in public service and urged the government to continue to institute measures that will encourage women to participate in governance and occupy public offices.
Free SHS
Bishop Sackey said now that the government had introduced the Free Senior High School Policy, it behoved women to take advantage of the system to seek more educational laurels, because their parents could no longer put the education of the male child above the female.
He, therefore, urged students to be humble and learn to excel in order to reach their greatest heights. She urged them to make peace their goal as they celebrate the 70th anniversary of WFUNA.
The President of the Central Regional Chapter of the UNAG, Dr Mark Nii Lamptey, in a message, affirmed the commitment of the chapter to the United Nations Charter and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Dr Lamptey noted that peace must be conscientiously worked at and cherished, adding that “it is only in an atmosphere of peace that development can thrive,” and called for cessation of hostilities in troubled spots of Africa, especially in northern Nigeria, Somalia and neighbouring Togo.
Role of women
He reminded women of their unique role in society and peace-making and said UNAG would continue to play intermediary roles between the UN and communities, as grassroot participatory mechanisms and advocated good political governance for peace.
The Central Regional Secretary of the association, Mr Hayford Edu Quaye, indicated that as stakeholders, they all have a role to play in order to support the government, as well as its agencies and institutions to realise the noble objectives of the UN.
The Director-General of the Civilian Institute of Democratic Administration and International Representative, West Africa, Dr Charles S.C. Marcus called on African countries to ensure democracy and good governance, as well as gender equality.
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