They said society’s inability to identify women as development partners has placed them at a disadvantaged position and it is time to give them a chance by implementing pragmatic gender policies that would allow them to play equal roles as their male counterparts.

The participants made the call at a gender policy forum organized by the Garu Presbyterian Agriculture Station (PAS-G) to outdoor its gender policy which is aimed at promoting gender equality in the society.

Mr Solomon Atiga, the Manager of the Station, said the PAS-G policy document which would grade both men and women at the same level and would also be used as a guideline for establishing measurable, achievable, timely and realistic goals for enhancing gender equality at the organization and its communities.

He said gender inequality and gender based discrimination abound in Ghana just like other parts of the world, saying in Africa women own just one percent of agricultural land, receive only seven percent of extension services and less than ten percent of agricultural credit offered to small scale farmers.

He said women are a major part of the nation’s productive force and yet remained amongst the poorest in society.

Mr Obed Asunka Abonkodug, the Project Officer of the station, said the policy was meant to establish a clear vision and make a commitment to guide the process of women empowerment to influence policies, procedures and practice which would accelerate the achievement of gender equality, gender justice, non discrimination and fundamental human rights in the northern parts of the country.

He said the station would adopt a rights based approach to development through evidence-based decision-making and the use of gender-disaggregated data and performance indicators for the achievement of gender equality and women empowerment.

He said this would promote human rights and acknowledge the equal status of all gender thriving harmoniously.

Mr James Kwame Bakaponi , the Programmes Manager of the Langbensi Presbyterian Agriculture Station, who delivered a keynote address on behalf of Mr Dan Kolbil, National Coordinator for Agriculture of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, launched a website which is to showcase the programmes of the Garu-PAS.

Mr Bakaponi said the website: www.garupas.com would help promote the PAS-G many to gain access to its programmes.