31st Dec Women's Movement Statement On International Women's Day

The 31st December Women�s Movement celebrates the achievements of women all over Ghana today as we mark international women�s day. Today we celebrate women�s success, and also remind ourselves of the injustices yet to be addressed. The theme for this year requires critical analysis. It affords us a chance to step back and examine the progress that has been made not only in women�s rights, but in making sure that an enabling environment exists where men and women can accomplish their desirable growth. As a society, we need to improve on our knowledge on the effect of gender on us and find support systems and concepts that will allow men and women to work together towards the growth of their society and country. We all have to work towards not judging people by their gender and in addition, give both men and women the opportunity to grow. We must accept that gender equality cannot be achieved without engaging men�s participation. The anticipation of how men and women should act in our society and what roles they should play are shaped by religion, culture, economic, political and social circumstances and these can be changed, this means that change lies in our hands, as it lies in the hands of our female parliamentarians who need to acknowledge the urgency in achieving the millennium development goals, particularly 4 and 5 which concerns reducing child mortality and improve maternal health respectively We must keep the fight for women�s empowerment on, remembering what has been achieved, and what is yet to be achieved. Let us forge ahead as we try to build our society. As the saying goes �let us be the change we want to see� and let us all pledge to be that change and welcome the gender agenda. We wish all our members and all women a Happy Women�s Day! PEACE ARYEE (MRS)