ROAD TOLL INCREASES AND THEIR IMPACT ON ROAD MAINTAINENCE (PAGE 34, FEB 11, 2010)

THE Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District Assembly in the Northern Region has created the women and children’s subcommittee as a step towards giving more attention to women and children’s issues.
In line with its commitment to educate communities in the district on issues of women and children’s rights, the subcommittee has held a forum in 15 communities to sensitise women to their rights.
These include, Kalba, Konfusi, Nasoyiri, Blema, Tuna and Gindabo.
The secretary of the sub-committee, Madam Abudu Fati, who addressed the fora, mentioned the 1992 Constitution, which guarantees every citizen fundamental human rights, whether the person is a man, woman or a child and also protects women and children against discriminatory practices.
She entreated parents to be mindful of the rights of children, particularly the rights of the child to education, food, health, clothing and shelter and cautioned them against meting out corporal punishment to children or forcing them into marriage.
Throwing more light on the essence of the creation of the sub-committee, Madam Fati explained that the creation of the women and children subcommittee of the assembly was the first of its kind in the country.
She said considering the fact that women in the north were relegated to the background in terms of decision-making, members of the assembly through the co-oeration of the gender desk thought it wise to have such a committee to champion the cause of women and children.
“It would also open the doors for them to build their capacities”, she added, stressing, “The committee is to push the needs and problems confronting our women and children forward so that their voices would be heard”.
She said the main objective of the subcommittee was to tackle the issue of child migration from the north to the southern part of the country, as well as the problem of child abuse.
A resource person, Mr Issahaku Lonsina, said children must be allowed to make choices and take part in decisions that affect them. This, he said, would make them have a feel of self-recognition and freedom.
Mr Lonsina also stressed the need for households to include both women and children in family decision-making and recognise them as partners in development.
The Chairperson of the sub-committee, Madam Winifred Duordah, charged parents to take full responsibility for the upbringing of their children, saying “education is the best legacy any parent could bequeath to the child”.
She also urged parents to send their children to school, since it was the only means to develop the child.