Ministry has raised awareness about violence-Asmah

Accra, Feb 25, GNA - Mrs Gladys Asmah, Minister of Women and Children's Affairs on Wednesday stated that the awareness raised by the Ministry about violence within the family had gained grounds among both urban and rural women.

She pointed out that, hitherto, women dared not challenge the propriety of such acts meted out to them by their male counterparts. Mrs Asmah made these remarks in an address read for her at the opening of a day's workshop on the theme: "Peace and Human Rights: An Agenda For Sustainable Human Development."

Organised jointly by the Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs, the Institute of Adult Education; Women in Law and Development in Africa, the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative; and the British Council, resource persons took participants through Socialization/Traditionalism: Implications for Peace at the Family level; Zero Tolerance for Violence: An Agenda for Development; and Legal Rights within the Family, among other topical issues.

Mrs Asmah expressed concern about the continuing perpetuation of violence by men against women and the resultant absence of peace in most homes.

She said it was sad to note that some men still go on in this negative act with impunity, and suggested that, if the problem of the misuse of power by men was to be addressed, then women needed to be empowered.

The Minister underscored the need to mobilize all human resources to mitigate the causes of violence within the society.

"We need to educate our women on the causes of violence; it is they who suffer a lot when violence erupts. We need to equip them with the skills of early warning systems", she stated.

Professor Miranda Greenstreet, Executive Director of the African All For Health and the Environment said national development could not be realised in the absence of peace.

Prof Greenstreet therefore, stressed the need for Ghanaians to be at peace with one another.

Mrs Marian Tackie, Executive Secretary of the National Council on Women and Development, suggested that women be involved in the decision-making process in the home.