Let Your Voices Be Heard – President Mills’ Wife Urges Women

Mrs Ernestina Naadu Mills, the First Lady on Thursday called on women across the globe to make their voices heard by allowing peace and democracy to prevail. She said in times of unrest the most vulnerable are women and children, adding that women are also the bedrock of society.

Speaking at the opening of the 20th conference of Zonta
International District 18 in Accra, she said the need for peace in the
sub-region could not be overemphasised. Mrs Mills said the day’s conference which was aimed at advancing the status of women worldwide through service and advocacy was timely, especially coming immediately after the International Women’s Day. “It will definitely keep the agenda of women at the fore of the minds of national leaders.”

It was on the theme: “Relate, Empower, Advocate and Liberate.” Mrs Mills commended the activities of Zonta in the provision of mobile clinics, safe houses, breast cancer awareness, girl science
scholarships and HIV awareness. Mrs Mills said Zonta’s contribution would help attain the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) through the Zonta Ghana Anaemia Prevention Project which aims at complimenting government’s effort at empowering women to attain their goals.

“The MDGs challenge governments to work towards eradicating poverty, achieve universal primary education, promote gender equality, reduce child mortality and improve maternal death by 2015,” she said. Mrs Stella Bentsi-Enchill, District 18 Governor, said since the last conference held by the district 14 years ago, a lot of change had occurred in Africa that had drastically affected the lives of women and children, increasing their needs and their ability to improve their status as women through service and advocacy.

“So it is important for us as Zontians, as citizens of this great continent of ours to find ways in which we relate to the needs of others, empower, to advocate… and to liberate our mothers, sisters and daughters, so as to make Zonta real in our clubs, our areas and our districts and to ensure that there is a positive change on our
continent,” she said. She called on Zontians to endeavour to relate to the underprivileged women in the district especially those in conflict situations.