Ms Anima Wilson, the Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister, has said the low literacy level among women and their lack of vocational skills were major factors inhibiting their progress.

To help tackle this, she said, it is important to aggressively promote girl child education and to economically empower them to become self-supporting.

She said they need to be aided to pursue academic careers and acquire vocational skills to contribute meaningfully to the nation’s development.

Ms Wilson said this in a speech read for her at this year’s Ashanti Regional celebration of the International Women’s Day in Kumasi.

The programme, organized by the Department of Women of the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs, was held under the theme “Connecting girls, inspiring future leaders and reducing rural poverty”.

The Deputy Minister, said in spite of the fact that many women lacked access to land, technology and credit, they played a significant role in the economy, especially in the agriculture sector, accounting for between 50 and 60 per cent of food production.

Ms Wilson appealed to the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies to put in place comprehensive programmes to support women to improve their incomes and livelihood.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Susana Dery, Deputy Ashanti Regional Coordinator of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU), said the Domestic Violence Act had significantly helped to give protection to women and children.

She said her outfit is collaborating with the Department of Social Welfare and other bodies to bring down their physical abuse.

Ms Augustina Gyamfi, acting Regional Director of the Department of Women, said they are doing everything to improve women’s representation in decision-making.**