By Priscilla Oye Ofori
Accra, Mar. 13, GNA – Dr. Zanetor Agyemang-Rawlings, Member of Parliament for Korle Klottey and Patron of the Gathering of the Royals, has called for a gender-sensitive approach to land tenure issues.
She said that such an approach would ensure women’s rights were not overlooked.
Dr. Agyemang-Rawlings made the call at the seventh edition of the “Gathering of the Royals” and the Nana Konadu Legacy Honours and Awards, an event organized by the Agrihouse Foundation, an agriculture advocacy organization, and the Queen Mothers Foundation.
The gathering, which brought together over a hundred Queen mothers from all sixteen regions, provided a platform for dialogue, experience-sharing, and advancing gender equality in agriculture.
The Awards aim to recognize women making significant impacts in various aspects of society.
This year’s event was under the theme, “Seeds of Change: Honouring Leadership, Inspiring Hope, and Strengthening Women to Innovatively Enhance Our Agrifood Future.”
Dr. Agyemang-Rawlings emphasized the ongoing lack of gender parity globally, including in Ghana, and stressed the need for continued advocacy for equal representation.
“The issue of land tenure is something we have been lamenting about for too long,
“It is time to take action on this land tenure, looking through the lenses of gender sensitivity,” she said.
Dr. Agyemang-Rawlings explained that solutions to national problems often missed the mark because they were not viewed through a gender lens, specifically through the eyes of women.
She added that women must be at the decision-making table for community progress.
The legislator encouraged women to support each other and build a network of royals across the country, suggesting a barter system among women farmers to address shared challenges.
She also called for a societal approach to women’s empowerment, urging men to be involved in the fight for gender equality.
Dr. Agyemang-Rawlings urged women to make their voices heard and advocate for their rights and leadership roles.
Ms. Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa, Executive Director of the Agrihouse Foundation, stressed the need to provide resources and continuous training, especially as foreign aid declined.
She noted that communities must be empowered to be innovative and self-sufficient.
Ms. Akosa stated that the Gathering of the Royals had become a transformative initiative, empowering Queen mothers and women in the agricultural sector over the past six years.
She said the platform had benefited farmers and women in agribusiness, with over 2,300 individuals, including women and persons with disabilities, receiving essential agricultural inputs.
The Queen mothers present pledged to mobilise and train at least 100 people in agribusiness.
GNA
KAS