Assembly redirects reproductive health campaign to men

Accra, June 28, GNA – The Ga West Municipal Assembly has organised a day's workshop for men and boys in the community to carry them along in achieving gender equality and equity in all spheres of life.

The UNFPA-sponsored workshop dubbed; "Engaging Men and Boys on Gender Equality and Sexual Reproductive Health Rights," sought to engage men and boys to understand their role in achieving gender equality and national development.

Naa Sackley Dagadu, a Health Promotion Officer at the Assembly, urged males to always visit the hospitals and not to hide behind masculinity.

She said many men have suffered diseases such as typhoid psychosis, which could have been dealt with at early stages but many of them kept their sufferings to themselves and only visited the health facilities at critical moments.

She said more men get depressed but do not inform anyone about it due to psychological superiority of masculinity, which usually resulted in the increase number of men at the psychiatric hospitals.

Naa Dagadu said it was about time men exercise their health right, adding, that the health facilities were willing and waiting to welcome all especially men.

She said apart from the reproductive organs, which differ in male and female, every other organ in the human system functions in similar manner, hence the need for men continually to visit the health facilities to seek for help.

Naa Dagadu said "visit the hospital at least once in every six months to check your health status and worse of all should be once in a year".

Mrs Matilda Banfro, the Acting Regional Director of the Department of Gender, said men and boys played vital roles towards the attainment of gender equality.

"Men have a critical role to play in bridging the gender inequality gaps, which includes issues of Sexual Reproductive Health Rights," she said.

Mrs Banfro noted that men make up almost half the world's population, adding that gender equality could not be achieved without the cooperation of men.

She said there was the need for men and boys to be sensitise to be change agents in ending gender inequalities and sexual reproductive rights.

"There is the need to engage and sensitise men and boys to be change agents in ending gender inequalities and Sexual Reproductive Right," she stated.

Madam Mavis Adu, the Senior Development Planning Officer; Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council, in presenting the role and importance of men and boys in advancing gender equality, said men have crucial roles to play on issues of gender.

Madam Adu urged men and boys to be supportive of their wives, children or sisters in their chores or other activities.

GNA

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