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The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has asked the government to establish a quota arrangement that will increase women representation in the District assemblies and parliament.

It has also urged the government to pass -gender sensitive laws that would promote the interest of women and men, a statement signed by the Secretary General, Kofi Asamoah, copied the Times has said.

It was issued in commemoration of the International Women’s Day (IWD) held yesterday on the theme “Breaking barriers towards gender equality and women’s empowerment: make it happen”.

Each year, IWD is celebrated on March 8, during which many countries use the day to mark the economic, political and social advancement of women. It is a day when women are recognised for their achievements in all fields of human endeavour.

The TUC in saluting women on the occasion, said the theme for the occasion “brings to the fore the question of how the challenges women face in their activities can be overcome, such as discrimination in employment and leadership positions, sexual harassment ,domestic violence, and rape among others”.

“These barriers do not only hurt women and their families, but also prevent societies from fully harnessing their potential for national development,” the statement said.

“Unquestionably, Ghana, as country, is making significant strides towards gender equality, but it is obvious that a lot remains to be done,” the statement added.

It noted the media discussions on the issue of wearing hijabs to work especially for nurses adding “we would like to call on all parties to dialogue with a view to ensuring the rights and interest of all parties”.

In another development the former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, on the occasion of the International Women’s Day, has called for a lasting solution to gender and equality.

“As we celebrate this day let us reflect on the gaps that still remain in making gender and equality a reality, so that together we can find lasting solutions to them,” Mrs. Agyemang-Rawlings said In a statement to commemorate the day.

Mrs. Agyemang-Rawlings who is the President of the 31st December Women’s Movement(DWM), a non-governmental Organisation, said this years celebration highlights the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Africa, which was a historic roadmap signed by 189 governments 20 years ago that set the agenda for realising women’s rights.

“While there have been many successes since then, many serious gaps still remain,” the statement said adding that “unfortunately 20 years down the lane, we are still struggling with the 12 concern areas agreed upon at the Beijing Conference”.

The statement said the Beijing Platform for Action focused on 12 critical areas of concern and envisions a world where “each woman and girl can exercise her choices, such as participating in politics, getting education, having income and living in a society which is devoid of violence and discrimination.”

The statement said over the years the 31st DWM had worked “tirelessly on championing the cause of women in all these spheres. But there is still a lot more to be done if we as women, are to achieve our goals”.

“This is the time to uphold women’s achievements, recognise challenges, call for a change, celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played extraordinary roles, and focus attention on women’s rights and gender equality,” the statement said.

In a related development, the Organisation of African Trades Union Unity (OATUU), salutes women worldwide and African women in particular for their struggle and their efforts that aim at improving their standards and that of their societies for their empowerment of humanity.

The statement, signed by Arezki Mezhoud, the Secretary General, called on trade unions in Africa and beyond to empower women in all areas of life and in the world to work together adding that this should be done through “enhancement of skills, knowledge, access to and use of information technology”.

“OATUU’s concern is about the needed gender sensitive measures and intervention for the promotion of gender mainstreaming in all spheres and levels of human endeavour,” the statement said.

“Effective measures should be taken to curb inequalities and discrimination so as to position women at their best for progress, development and poverty alleviation,” it said.