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St Maarten Speaker calls for renewed global commitment for gender equality
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THE Speaker of Parliament of Saint Maarten, Sarah Wescot-Williams has warned that gains made over the past three decades remain vulnerable amid new and emerging threats.
She has therefore called for urgent global action to accelerate gender equality.
She said this in Accra last Thursday at the opening of the 3rd International Conference on Gender Equality (ICGE 2025).
The three-day conference was attended by delegates from Africa, Caribbean and Europe and held under the theme “Charting the next frontier, to advance gender equality in developing economies in post 30 years Beijing declaration.”
She also challenged delegates to confront the unfinished work of the 1995 Beijing declaration and platform for action.
“30 years later, the promise of Beijing remains unfinished, and we do not have the luxury of time. Every barrier to the equality of women and girls anywhere becomes a threat to all of us.”
Mrs Wescot-Williams, who is also a gender advocate, emphasised that achieving gender equity requires more than acknowledging the problem.
She said it demands structural reforms and argued that although progress has been made in representation, education, and legal protections, women remain underrepresented in the spaces where the most critical decisions were made.
She urged governments to adopt gender-responsive budgets, strengthen parliamentary committees focused on gender affairs, and expand leadership pipelines for young women.
The Speaker warned that without intentional empowerment, gender equity will remain an aspiration rather than a lived reality.
On her part, the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey reiterated the need to protect women and girls, particularly in domestic spaces where discrimination and violence are often hidden.
Dr Lartey, stressed the need for survivor-centered systems that address the emotional, psychological, and social effects of gender-based violence.
She highlighted the persistence of sexual and physical abuse within families, a subject often shrouded in silence, saying, “we cannot speak of equity when girls are unsafe in their own homes,” she said.
She reaffirmed the country’s commitment to advancing gender equality, describing the Beijing declaration as one of the most progressive global compacts on women’s empowerment.
According to the Minister, the Beijing conference has often been misinterpreted as a movement for women to dominate men and clarified that the declaration instead called for equal opportunities, dignity and full participation for women and girls.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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The Accra Regional Police Command has arrested five people and retrieved firearms, ammunition and other offensive items during an intelligence led operation at Sapeiman Faase in the Greater Accra Region.
According to a press release issued by the Command on Monday, the operation was carried out jointly with the National Police Intelligence Directorate (NPID) on July 17, 2026.
The Police identified the suspects as Torgbui Agah Semaglo, 50, Shadrach Agah Semaglo, 22, William Kweku Sedanu, 21, Cyril Kassenu, 26, and Kingsford Agah Semaglo, 18.
The Command said a search at the suspects’ premises led to the retrieval of a pump action gun, a Stoeger ST R9 pistol, a dummy Austria pistol, a jackknife, a face mask, 12 BB cartridges, three rounds of 9mm ammunition, one AK-47 round of ammunition, a talisman and two kitchen knives.
It noted that all the items had been kept as exhibits to support investigations.
The Police said preliminary investigations suggested that the suspects were members of a criminal group involved in armed robbery and landguard activities.
It alleged that they used the recovered weapons to terrorise residents in Sapeiman and nearby communities.
The suspects are currently in Police custody assisting with investigations, while efforts continue to determine their involvement in other robbery cases and related criminal activities. The Police also said it was working to identify and arrest any additional accomplices.
The Accra Regional Police Command commended members of the public for providing credible information that supported its work and urged residents to remain vigilant.
It encouraged the public to report suspicious persons or activities to the nearest police station or through the Police emergency numbers, adding that it remained committed to protecting lives and property across the region.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has announced that a revised national curriculum for kindergarten to junior high school will be presented to the Ministry of Education on Wednesday for further approval.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series today, Mr. Iddrisu said the new curriculum was developed by the National Curriculum Assessment Agency (NaCCA) as part of efforts to improve teaching and learning at the basic education level.
According to him, the revised curriculum will be formally submitted to the Ministry before it is forwarded to President John Dramani Mahama. He added that it will then be sent to Cabinet and Parliament for consideration and approval.
Mr. Iddrisu said the revised curriculum is designed to support a “Smart Start” approach by strengthening the teaching of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
He explained that the government intends to introduce new subjects, including coding, electronics, artificial intelligence (AI) and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), into the basic school curriculum.
The Minister said the changes form part of the government’s commitment to equipping pupils with practical and digital skills needed to meet the demands of the modern world.
He expressed confidence that the revised curriculum would help prepare learners for future opportunities by integrating technology and innovation into education from the early years of schooling.
By: Jacob Aggrey
