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St Maarten Speaker calls for renewed global commitment for gender equality
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 Ghana Highway Authority has announced a temporary traffic management arrangement on sections of the Accra Tema Motorway and the Tetteh Quarshie Interchange as construction work continues on the motorway expansion project.
In a public announcement issued on March 5, the Authority explained that the arrangement forms part of ongoing construction works under the Accra Tema Motorway and Extension Projects.
It noted that the traffic adjustment is required to allow contractors carry out T beam launching works for the expansion of the Tetteh Quarshie Interchange Bridge on the N1 highway.
Under the arrangement, lanes on the N4 northbound carriageway, which serves traffic moving from Accra to Madina, will be temporarily closed.
Meanwhile, the southbound carriageway from Madina to Accra, which currently has four lanes, will be reconfigured into two lanes in each direction to accommodate traffic moving both ways.
The Authority indicated that the temporary traffic changes will take effect from Monday, March 9, 2026 and are expected to last for four months.
According to the statement, the lane reduction is necessary to create a safe working space for construction personnel and to ensure the safety of motorists using the road.
The Authority therefore advised drivers to be cautious, obey traffic signs and cooperate with traffic management officials throughout the construction period.
It encouraged members of the public who require further information to contact its Public Affairs Division through WhatsApp on 0551622244.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The National Chief Imam, Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, has congratulated the Government and people of Ghana as the country marks its 69th Independence Day, urging citizens to renew their commitment to national unity and democratic values.
In a statement to commemorate the celebration on March 6, he encouraged Ghanaians to use the occasion to strengthen their dedication to constitutional democracy, economic progress, interfaith harmony and peaceful coexistence.
He observed that the world was currently facing several challenges, including the rise of authoritarian governments and increasing military conflicts among nations.
According to him, humanity was experiencing turbulent times, with genocidal attitudes and violent extremism becoming more widespread in different parts of the world.
The Chief Imam explained that such global developments should inspire Ghanaians to come together and deepen their commitment to nation building while embracing unity in diversity.
He noted that although colonialism left a painful mark on the country’s history, Ghanaians could take comfort in their collective determination to overcome colonial subjugation and build a free nation.
Reflecting on the country’s independence struggle, he indicated that Ghanaians now remembered the victory for liberty rather than the hardship endured during the fight against tyranny.
The National Chief Imam offered prayers for divine guidance and blessings for the President, John Dramani Mahama, the Government and the people of Ghana.
By: Jacob Aggrey
