News
Happy International Boy-child Day!
May 16 is International Boy-child Day….
I have all three of my most beloved as sons…….no daughters……..
….and yet I have celebrated International Women’s Day religiously; even finding a way to adapt the celebration of this day in a female college in Saudi Arabia with the Motawa at our gates in March 2015!
A shame I got to know about an International day for the Boy-child on May 16, a few months ago.
…but it is not ever too late to seek the empowerment of the Boy-child by ‘celebrating the unique potential and contributions of boys while also acknowledging the challenges they face. It’s a day to encourage their growth, empower them, and foster a supportive environment where they can thrive.’
Interesting to read this during my research of the International Boy-child Day as indeed it is not any different from all I have championed in celebrating the Girl-child; International Women’s day on March 8 each year.
Interesting also to note that EMPOWERMENT is the key objective in celebrating this ‘International Boy-child day.’
This should in my opinion call for a re-visit of the true meaning of ‘EMPOWERMENT’ which has been the main objective of most ‘Girl-child’ agendum; and now, ‘Boy-child agendum.
As my research into a celebration of an international Boy-child took its turns and twists, I couldn’t help but wonder how utopian a world it would be if all the ‘International Day celebrations’ for boys, girls, men or women were amalgamated into one BIG International EVERYDAY celebration for the entire EVERYBODY!!
A celebration where everybody felt empowered……
An EVERYDAY celebration where the entire EVERYBODY’s empowerment was acknowledged, respected and celebrated.
Taking a moment to picture how this will go for families who beget communities that beget societies that beget nations, that then meaningfully encompass us all in our entirety, further research led me to the following summaries:
Women Empowerment: ‘Promoting women’s sense of self-worth, their ability to determine their own choices, and their right to influence social change for themselves and others.’
Children Empowerment: Girl-child; Boy-child: Allowing children to become stronger and more confident, against a backdrop of the cultural, traditional and religious environment of their heritage and taking responsibilities for their actions.
Men Empowerment: Building confidence and self-esteem in a manner that makes them better placed to be great family men and true leaders of their communities.
Inherent in the above process of EMPOWERMENT for each one of us will be the strength to make sound choices; the grace also to acknowledge and respect the EMPOWERMENT of one another-the end result of this only making each individual, boy, girl, man, and woman a better version of themselves…
As we add May 16 to all the International-Day celebrations already known and celebrated, perhaps it is time to make everyday a celebration of a Happy Humanity Day; a daily celebration of our own EMPOWERMENT; of other people’s EMPOWERMENT.
By Dzigbordi B-A
News
SEND Ghana engage Gender Minister for strategic dialogue on social protection and gender equality
A delegation from SEND Ghana visited the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, to discuss collaboration on gender equality, social protection, and economic empowerment.
SEND Ghana, known for its policy advocacy and equitable development efforts, works closely with farmers and empowers young women aged 18–35 through Mastercard Foundation-supported projects focused on livelihood and agricultural support.
The Minister welcomed SEND Ghana’s initiatives and highlighted the Ministry’s alignment with their priorities.
She reaffirmed that social protection is a top priority under President John Mahama’s government and emphasized ongoing efforts to expand coverage and enhance service delivery through flagship programmes like Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP), which remains vital for vulnerable households.
Regarding the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP), the Minister noted plans to introduce legislation to ensure its sustainability and improve the nutritional quality of school meals.
She praised civil society’s role in monitoring local implementation.
The Minister also voiced strong support for menstrual hygiene and reproductive health campaigns, stressing education and access to sanitary products for adolescent girls, and encouraged efforts to break menstrual taboos and keep girls in school.
Broader gender issues discussed included reducing unpaid care work, promoting gender-sensitive leave policies (maternity and paternity leave), and boosting women’s economic opportunities.
Both parties agreed on the need to build gender-responsive systems that empower women socially and economically.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to work together for inclusive development, gender equity, and stronger social protection systems in Ghana.
News
3-Day in-country capacity building workshop on Women, Peace and Security Reporting Frame Work held
In 2018, the African Union developed the Continental Results Framework (CRF) to track the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda across Africa.
To support this regional effort, ECOWAS introduced a simplified version of the CRF in 2022 to guide member states in implementation and reporting.
As part of a broader regional effort to build national capacity across member states, the ECOWAS Commission, through its Directorate for Humanitarian and Social Affairs (DHSA), and in collaboration with relevant stakeholders and the WPS Regional Steering Group—with technical and financial backing from the ECOWAS Peace, Security and Governance Project (EPSG), co-funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and implemented by GIZ—organized a three-day in-country capacity-building workshop in Ghana.
Held from June 10 to 12, 2025, the workshop was spearheaded by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection in collaboration with the European Union, the German Embassy, and the ECOWAS Commission.
It aimed to enhance the technical capacity of national stakeholders and focal persons to systematically document, monitor, and report on WPS interventions, particularly in relation to Ghana’s National Action Plan on United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (GHANAP II).
The training also focused on improving data accuracy, promoting inter-agency collaboration, and ensuring Ghana’s reporting processes align with the ECOWAS Simplified CRF.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr. Agnes Momo Lartey, the Director of the Department of Gender, Madam Faustina Acheampong, described the workshop as “timely and appropriate,” noting its significance in strengthening Ghana’s WPS reporting architecture.
She further stressed the importance of accurate data and coordinated efforts to meet the country’s regional reporting obligations.
She also underscored the critical role of women in peacebuilding, emphasizing the need to amplify women’s voices and ensure their full participation in peace processes to achieve lasting, inclusive peace in Ghana.
Representing the ECOWAS Commission’s Directorate of Humanitarian and Social Affairs, Mr. Olatunde Olayemi reaffirmed ECOWAS’s commitment to Ghana’s WPS agenda. He highlighted the disproportionate impact of insecurity on women and girls and praised Ghana’s ongoing efforts to advance inclusive peacebuilding as a cornerstone for sustainable development.
Daniel Messina, from the European Union Delegation to Ghana, acknowledged the role of the ECOWAS Peace and Security Architecture and Operations (EPSAO) Programme—funded by the EU and German Government—in promoting peace, security, and gender equity across the region.
Additionally, Pauline Okkens, Political Advisor at the German Embassy, reiterated her government’s continued support for the development and implementation of continental and regional frameworks on Women, Peace and Security.
