The Ghana Federation of the Urban Pool (GHAJUP), on Thursday stressed the need for people in authority to empower Women to claim their Rights. This, according to the Federation, is because despite their protection under International Human Rights, Women in Ghana still face discrimination and problems regarding inheritance, housing and land rights. The Federation made the call at a Durbar organised at Ashaiman to climax a seven-week long training programme for 15 participants as part of the Women's Land Link Africa, or WLLA Project. The programme, which was jointly organised by GHAFUP and other NGO's namely, the Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE), People's Dialogue (PD) and the Development Institution (DI), had "Housing and Inheritance Rights of Women: A Tool for Community Development" as its theme. Mr Philip Kuma, Spokesman for the Federation, observed that International Human Rights Law placed obligations on governments, the world over, to change the situation for the better, and protect Women's Rights. Mr Kuma explained that the Law placed responsibilities on communities to ensure that Women's Rights were not violated, adding, "it places entitlements on women to demand that their rights are respected and protected." He pointed out that should Women be allowed to continue to suffer by violating their rights, the entire nation stood to lose. Mr Kuma pointed out that misinterpreted and misapplied customs, laws that discriminated, and practices that violated their rights, should no longer be used as excuses to make Women destitutes. He urged government, community and traditional leaders to make critical changes in policies, strategies and laws, as well as undertake gender analysis at the various stages of policy design, implementation and evaluation. This, he said would go a long way to ensure that all forms of gender discrimination, were eliminated in order to protect and promote the Rights of Women with regard to Land, Housing and Inheritance. "Confiscated property must be restored to Women who have been disinherited or disposed of, such housing and land rights, and to provide alternative shelter and livelihoods for women." Source: GNA