Vulnerable groups will be protected, empowered – Gender Minister-designate

 The Minister-designate for Gender, Children, and So­cial Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, has assured that a comprehensive framework will be developed to protect vulnerable children and support their families if she is approved by Parliament.

She stressed that the initia­tive, which aligns with the NDC manifesto, would be implemented without partisanship to ensure the safety and development of all Ghanaian children.

During her vetting at the Ap­pointments Committee yesterday, she said “this is for the betterment of the Ghanaian child, and it will not be politicised.”

Ms Lartey revealed that the framework would also focus on empowering economically disad­vantaged mothers especially, many of whom are trapped in vulnera­bility and unable to adequately care for their children.

She pledged that the Ministry would ensure these women are provided with access to financial resources through the proposed Women’s Development Bank, which would offer flexible loans and other financial services tailored to their needs.

“The traditional banking system favours men more than women. Establishing this bank will focus on women, and I am confident Ghanaians will appreciate its im­plementation,” she stated.

On education, she emphasised the importance of incorporating family values into the national curriculum to instill strong social principles in children.

She also assured of the com­plete decentralisationof the School Feeding Programme to improve the quality of meals and ensure timely food distribution.

The Minister-designate stressed the need to work closely with stakeholders to make the feeding programme more effective, espe­cially at the district level.

“By decentralising the pro­gramme, we can monitor quality and ensure food items are supplied on time,” she said.

Regarding the psychological and physical needs of women, Ms Lartey stated that the four months maternity leave indicated in the manifesto of the National Dem­ocratic Congress (NDC), will be implemented to enable mothers to heal properly after childbirth and care for their babies.

She encouraged private compa­nies to establish workplace daycare facilities, highlighting their poten­tial to increase productivity and job satisfaction among working mothers.

“A psychologically healthy wom­an can significantly enhance a com­pany’s productivity,” she added.

In addition, she promised that when approved, she would ensure a review and expansion of the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme to capture more vulnerable women, especially those in rural areas.

She assured that strict measures would be taken to ensure only qualified individuals benefit from the initiative.

In furtherance Ms Lartey called for intersectoral collaboration to address these issues comprehen­sively, assuring that the Women’s Development Bank and related initiatives would be adequately captured in the national budget.

She also expressed optimism that these measures would trans­form the lives of women and children across the country.

 BY RAISSA SAMBOU

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