Policy on Reproductive Health for Women launched

Kwaku Afriyie, Minister of Health on Friday said Ghana had identified reproductive health as a priority area for health development and investment.

He said in consonance with the global initiatives adopted in Cairo, Beijing and Copenhagen, a policy on reproductive health services and standards for the delivery of reproductive health care had been developed.

"These policies clearly outline, among others, the Ministry's position on issues related to harmful traditional practices and the need for improved access to basic health care for women and children'', Mr. Afriyie said at the launch of the 2001 Progress Report for Anglophone Africa titled Women of the World: Laws and policies Affecting Their Reproductive lives.

The 175-page report presents a snapshot view of progress achieved towards ensuring women's reproductive health and rights in seven Anglophone countries. Women's organisations in Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Ghana are the real engines behind the report that challenges their governments to adopt and implement appropriate laws and policies to ensure reproductive health and equality in society.

It was facilitated by the Centre for Reproductive Law and Policy (CRLP) of the United States and the Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Ghana. Mr. Afriyie said though gender issues were not only women's issues, the disproportionate impact of many policies made it imperative to allow a little more focus on women.

"We must be able to identify important gaps in our current policies, which do not make our services gender friendly and find ways of closing them without creating more gender imbalances."

Ms. Kathy Hall-Martinez, Director of CRLP said many countries in Africa still lacked laws to protect women's reproductive rights. "While many governments have adopted policies intended to improve women's reproductive health and rights, few have made concrete budget allocations to support these policies."

Hajia Ramatu Aliu Mahama, wife of the Vice President who launched the report said the primary cause of death of women between ages 15 and 44 was maternal mortality resulting from complications due to illegal and unsafe abortions. "In Ghana it is established that unsafe abortion is the largest single contributor which is 1,000 maternal deaths for every 100,000 births."

Mrs. Ernestina Naana Hagan, President of FIDA said Ghana in collaboration with other human rights organisations was carrying out a number of awareness and sensitisation programmes to make the laws a living and practical tool for the promotion of women's rights. The Report was an effective advocacy resource tool to promote and defend women's reproductive rights.

Mrs. Virginia Ofosu Amaah, Chairperson of the National Population Council, who chaired the function said a lot more work remained to be done to address women's reproductive issues. "Addressing these issues is the surest way to open up opportunities for women" she added.