Deputy Minister for Women and Children’s Affairs, Hajia Hawawu Garba Boya has said as part of efforts to address challenges facing women, her ministry is collaborating with other agencies to fight discrimination against women at work places. Hajia Hawawu said her ministry had noticed the deep discrimination meted out to women especially at the work place, which she stressed must end as soon as possible. The Deputy Minister disclosed to Adom News that as part of plans to fight the discrimination, various sensitization programmes will be implemented through agencies to spearhead the campaigns. She explained, the goal is for corporate organizations to structure policies to favour women and not to discriminate against them. Tuesday March 8th 2011, marked the centenary celebrations of International Women’s Day where the Women’s Ministry among other things resolved to strengthen efforts to fight violence against women in collaboration with the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ). The initiative was a repeat of a similar undertaking in 2007 by the ministry. Hajia Hawawu Yakubu said sensitization programmes would be implemented to chart the course of the fight against violence as well. She also revealed that her ministry in close concert with the Ministry of Health had reduced maternal mortality over the past five years. Statistics available to Adom News indicate that pregnant women have poor access to good quality maternal health services, especially at the community level. Story: Maame Esi Nyamekeye Thompson