FIDA- Ghana and United Nations Population Development Fund has organised a National Male Conference to effectively involve men in the promotion of gender equality, rights and reproductive health. The initiative would also improve quality of life to facilitate sustainable development. The conference was aimed at mobilising male awareness and commitment to engage in promoting women rights, elimination of abuse and violence and pursuance of advocacy in improving the delivery of social services for women as well as maternal and child mortality. It also served as a platform to develop a plan of action and communiqué on male involvement and male champions for engagement at all levels. The event which was on the theme: “Men as Partners, Promoting Reproductive, Maternal Health and Gender Equality in Ghana,” brought together about 200 participants including representatives of male associations and groups, representatives of governmental and non-governmental organisations and women’s human rights advocates. Others were programme implementers, researchers and evaluators, professionals in sexual and reproductive health, HIV and/AIDS communities, development partners and donors. Participants were taken through topics such as demography and Development in Ghana, Sexual and Reproductive Rights Issues in Ghana-Implication for maternal and child health, Sexual and Reproductive Rights of Men and Young People in Ghana. Other topics comprised Legal and Policy Perspective on Human and Reproductive Rights in Ghana and Challenges of Engaging Men in Promoting Gender Equality and Addressing Gender Based Violence in Ghana. Speaking at the conference, Chief Justice Georgina Theodora Wood said promoting gender equality in health over the years had been limited to education and empowerment of women which had been largely driven by women. She said in spite of the importance of male involvement to advance gender equality and to improve both men’s and women’s reproductive health, only few activities had actually been carried out. “The focus has begun to shift at the International level and Ghana’s concerted effort to revisit men’s roles and identities in order to increase men’s involvement in working towards gender equality in the traditionally women driven reproductive health rights is highly recommendable”, she said. Mrs Wood called for active engagement of men in gender equality and its related issues affecting sexual and reproductive health of women was not borne out of an inclination towards blind feminism. “It is well intentioned and borne out of the realisation that a balance in the power and privilege, responsibilities and resources of men and women in these critical areas invariably inure to the benefit of all concerned, men, their partners and children,” she added. She said reports had shown that men’s involvement in maternal and child health programmes could reduce maternal and child mortality, men’s own physical and mental health and well-being. She indicated that traditional exclusion of men from family planning and reproductive health services had not reduced birth rate but rather escalated it. She said this had often resulted in unwanted pregnancy putting women’s reproductive health at serious risk and causing maternal deaths. “Reports had shown that men provided with information on ante-natal care issues encourage their wives to attend ante-natal clinics more often than those with little information and are often supportive when health care decisions are being taken,” she explained. She commended FIDA-Ghana and UNFPA for their strong commitment towards promoting issues on gender equality and reproductive for national development. Barbara Oteng Gyasi, President of FIDA-Ghana expressed concern of working with men on gender equality and reproductive health due to gender norms and unequal gender relations. She said these gender norms convince young men to view sexual initiation and fatherhood as a way to prove they are ‘real men’ to affirm their identity. “Such influence has resulted in boys impregnating young girls or even close relatives resulting in higher rate of teenage pregnancies as well as an increased dropout rate for girls in schools”, she said. Mr Bawa Amadu, Assistant Representative of UNFPA pledged the commitment of the body to deepen engagement with men and young people and advance boundaries to achieve positive maternal and reproductive health, gender equality and equity at both national and sub-national levels in the country.