Role of women in national development is crucial

Hajia Rahmat Muslim, Former National President of Ahmadiyyah Lajna Imaillah, said the crucial role of women in national development could not be over-empahsised.

She said government policies at times misrepresented the needs of women, who faced challenges and lamented that reforms and policies being implemented by government were influenced by men.

Hajia Muslim made the observation at the 31st Annual Conference of Ahmadiyyah Women Lajna Imaillah on the theme: "The Role of Women in Socio-Economic Development of a Nation," at Nsoubre in the Kwahu West Municipality of the Eastern Region.

She said, women must be adequately represented in decision making to enable them to effectively contribute to national development.

Hajia Muslim called for the proper training of children so that they could become responsible citizens.

She said “women largely raise children and were therefore in a position to influence their values and attitudes. It is my wish that we will all expose children to the realities so that they can understand the responsibilities ahead of them”.

Hajia Muslim noted that Ghana’s informal economy was largely dominated by women.

She said Ghana was in dire need of a mental and attitudinal revolution to set the country on the path of true development, and this must start with women.

Hajia Sadika Yeboah Bonsu, Greater Accra Regional President of Lajna Imaillah, said the population of women had increased with the introduction of industrialization and technology.

She said, “human needs multiplied from basic amenities to sophisticated life, which can be acquired when one is financially sound.”

She said the recent population census of Ghana has revealed that women were more than men and women would be expected to contribute more to socio-economic development.

Hajia Bonsu condemned the abuse and molestation of women and called for the acknowledgement of the role of women in socio-economic development.**