SEND Ghana, a subsidiary of SEND WEST Africa, has called on government to include and invest in women to advance gender equality to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5.
Ensuring women’s and girls’ rights across all aspects of life is the only way to secure prosperous and just economies.
In a news statement copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra, Send Ghana recognised the need to invest in women’s education, healthcare, economic empowerment and leadership development to help accelerate progress towards gender equality.
It said government must promote gender equality as a conduit for development, recognizing that investing in women and girls was not only a moral imperative, but also a strategy for achieving the SDGs and creating a more inclusive and equitable Ghana for all.
It said women and girls played a crucial role driving progress and development in their communities and beyond, however, there was a need to ensure inclusivity and invest in women.
“As we recognise women’s social, economic, cultural, political achievements and the great significance for gender equality and women’s rights through the IWD 2024 celebration, we use this opportunity to remind government about the crucial role of inclusion in achieving gender equality,” it said.
As part of the International Women’s Day (IWD), SEND Ghana deemed it important to celebrate the achievements of women and girls, amplify their voices, and reaffirm commitment to advancing gender equality,
The 2024 International Women’s Day is on the theme, “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress.”
The statement said advancing on SDG 5 could untap huge potential and have multiplier effects across the SDGs.
It said Ghana’s 2022 Voluntary National Review (VNR) on the SDGs points to remarkable progress in achieving gender equality and empowerment of all women and girls.
The VNR highlighted emerging issues worth prioritising in the drive towards meeting all the SDG 5 targets, including slow progress in physical, sexual and psychological violence, and decline in women representation in ministerial positions.
It said the United Nations Women had acknowledged artivism for gender equality as one of the ways in overcoming the challenges with gender equality and women’s rights issues.
GNA
CA/
March 7, 2024
