Ghana marked this year’s International Day of Families with the United Nations Population Fund Representative, Dr Babatunde Ahonsi encouraging families to safeguard and sustain positive family values amidst changing trends in family structures and compositions. The UNFPA Representative acknowledged that issues of discrimination against women and children, as well as disregard for the rights of young people in some societies are undesirable.
Dr Ahonsi was speaking on the theme “Men in Charge? Gender Equality and Children’s Rights in Contemporary Families” at a family dialogue organised by Global Family Care in partnership with UNFPA in Accra. Dr Ahonsi said community dialogues on the theme is important as it will bring out the roles families can play in sustainable development if these foster higher regard for norms and policies that ensure gender equality and protect the rights of children. He urged Ghanaians to reflect on the diversity of contemporary families so as to put in place appropriate legal frameworks to safeguard the rights of all family members, especially in the light of the emerging development agenda. He admitted the changing trends in family roles and how women nowadays take up key responsibilities far beyond those in the home.
The Chairman of the event, Mr. Harley Kanayochukwi Nworah, recognized the need for Ghanaians to prioritize inherent family values and not imitate foreign cultures blindly.
President of Global Family Care, Mr. Ebenezer Dzabaku, said individuals can only truly develop nationalism and patriotism through their families. He explained this by saying good values imbibed from the family level prepare members to act in accordance with societal values and norms. He also emphasized that the political, economic and social progress of a country depends on the values placed on its family structure.
To encourage open discussions and thought sharing on the theme, during the dialogue, families were organized into focus groups to confer on key issues concerning the theme. This also facilitated awareness building and networking for better understanding.
The Deputy Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection and Member of Parliament for Kpando constituency Mrs. Dela Sowah, encouraged parents to frankly and dispassionately discuss issues regarding sexuality with their adolescents and youth. She said young people by nature will look for the information elsewhere anyway, if parents do not engage them on such issues.
The dialogue was attended by traditional leaders, members of various family units including children, old people, some ninety years old and above, as well as young people. Following the community conversation, the families helped themselves to traditional Ghanaian meals to close out the day’s commemoration.
