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The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection through the Department of Gender is wishing all women in Ghana a Happy International Women’s Day.

In 1911, the International Women's Day was marked for the first time (19 March) in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland, where more than one million women and men attended rallies to demand the right to vote, hold public office, women's rights to work, to vocational training and to end all forms of discrimination against women.  

Against this historic backdrop, International Women’s Day which is the 8th of March has been earmarked by the United Nations to celebrate the economic, political and social achievements of women.  The day is also used to rally support in ensuring the rights and empowerment of women in all areas of national development.

It is also a time that Governments, Civil Society Organizations and other stakeholders declare their commitments and efforts aimed at addressing the issues that are inimical to the progress of women and their contribution and participation in decision-making processes.
 
Ghana joins the rest of the world to celebrate this year’s International Women’s Day under the theme: “Women in Leadership: Achieving an Equal Future in a COVID-19 World” with a campaign theme“♯ChooseToChallenge” which seeks to promote change in the biases against women and girls. Ghana has adopted this theme as we celebrate the tremendous efforts by women and girls in shaping a more equal future as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
As part of the celebrations for this year’s International Women’s Day, the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection plans to increase awareness on women’s rights and equality in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic by engaging and sensitizing market women at the Agbogbloshie and Madina markets on 9th and 10th March 2021 respectively. The Domestic Violence Call Centre at the Domestic Violence Secretariat will also be launched on 11th March 2021 as part of the celebrations.
 
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to the fore, the need to take appropriate actions that will ensure a better life for all especially, women, girls and the excluded. The UN Women has therefore identified five critical areas that are associated with the vulnerability of women and girls as the most vulnerable during this pandemic. These areas include:

·      Increased risks for Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV),
·      Unemployment,
·      Negative economic and livelihood impacts on the poorest women and girls,
·      Unequal distribution of care and domestic work 
·      Women and girls’ voices not being included for an informed and effective COVID-19 response.

The Ministry therefore urges all stakeholders to pull resources together to address these challenges that may confront women and girls in our bid to eradicate the pandemic.

As we celebrate this year’s International Women’s Day, the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection being the national machinery for the promotion of gender equality and women empowerment wishes to applaud all women of the Republic of Ghana irrespective of their field of work for their immense contribution to national development.

We also appreciate all stakeholders who are championing the course of women to achieve gender equality and women empowerment in the country.

The Ministry is calling on all and sundry to commit to making deliberate efforts toward electing and appointing women into leadership positions to ensure that women’s voices are heard at all levels of decision making.

Once again, the Ministry and its partners wish all women a Happy International Women’s Day.
ChooseToChallenge.
 
AYEKOO