Dr. Iyabode Olusanmi, Country Director of UNICEF,
has appealed to Alhaji Issahaku Salia, Upper West Regional Minister, to show complete political commitment towards issues affecting women and children.
She urged the Minister to make issues regarding girl-child education, maternal mortality and the empowerment of women, a topmost priority in his administration.
"Women in Africa should not be allowed to suffer and die because they play an important role in producing the next generation of Africans," she stressed.
Dr. Olusanmi made the appeal when she paid a courtesy call on the Minister, at his office, in Wa, on Monday, during her familiarisation tour
of the region.
She said despite the successes chalked in the area of women and children's empowerment, the region was still challenged with many other
issues inimical to the welfare and development of women and children.
She noted that to be able to address such challenges there must be effective collaborative efforts between the government and all other
stakeholders in issues of women and children.
"Women should be empowered economically, socially, and culturally to enable them to take good care of our children," she pointed out.
Alhaji Salia commended UNICEF for the long term support and said he was grateful for them to have come again to renew their commitment to
support the government to address issues of women and children.
He said traditional and cultural issues in the region were the topmost worrying issues that affected women but pointed out that the government was prepared to institute measures to address them.
The Minister pledged his commitment to work closely with UNICEF and all other partners to empower women and bring them out of poverty.