Gender Minister Launches 'HeforShe' Campaign

A media campaign dubbed: "HeForShe" crusade has been launched in Accra.

The campaign, centered around three key issues - affirmative action, ending negative traditional practices and the economic empowerment of women - is aimed at mobilizing over two million men to stand up and support women and take actions that lead to empowerment and gender equality for both men and women.

Globally, the campaign seeks to mobilize the support of two billion men who will be committed and dedicated to the cause of women.

In an address to launch the campaign, the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Otiko Afisa Djaba, expressed the hope that the campaign would encourage men to be more responsible for their children and family, improve care and maintenance, curb the menace of street children and ensure a society that promoted respect for women, and reciprocal respect for men.

Mad. Djaba said the campaign aimed at garnering male support for passing the Affirmative Action Bill, ending harmful traditional practices like child marriage, widowhood rites, trokosi and female genital mutilation as well as supporting the economic empowerment of women.

She said Ghana had an extra responsibility, and could not fail, to ensure the success for the HeForShe campaign, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo being the African Union gender champion and co-chair of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In a statement, Mariam Kamara, the UN Regional Co-ordinator for UN Women, pledged support for the HeForShe campaign disclosed that the campaign had received the backing of several African countries including Nigeria, Liberia, Rwanda and Cape Verde.

The Musician Union of Ghana, which was also represented at the media launch, has also declared its support for the campaign.

Source: ISD

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