Ms. Akua Sena Dansua, Minister of Women and Children’s Affairs, on Wednesday commended the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) for the initiation of a draft gender policy for the training of public service officials. She said the draft policy would form the basis for the formulation of a comprehensive gender policy document for ensuring gender mainstreaming in the public service. Ms Dansua, speaking at the opening of a two-day stakeholders’ workshop on GIMPA’s Gender Policy, said gender equality was crucial for good governance and sustainable development. Therefore all effort must be made to eliminate any form of gender imbalances starting from the institutional level. The workshop, which was organised by GIMPA in partnership with the Commonwealth Secretariat, is aimed at soliciting inputs to ensure a comprehensive Gender Policy document for training of public service officials. Ms Dansua said GIMPA’s gender policy had come at the right moment, as government acknowledged inclusive growth as a key factor for achieving sustainable poverty reduction and human resource development. She commended GIMPA for not relenting in its efforts over the years to improve human capacities for competent planning and administration in Ghana and beyond. Ms Dansua said the establishment of a Gender Development and Resource Centre was to address the current gaps in the public service. The Minster said it was expected that the final gender policy document would help address the gaps between what was expected from public sector officials and their existing levels of understanding of gender issues. Mrs Janet Kathyola, Adviser, Governance and Institutional Development Division, Commonwealth Secretariat, said GIMPA’s initiative as the first African institution under the Commonwealth to establish a Gender Development and Resource Centre (GDRC) was commendable and would be supported and assisted by the Commonwealth Secretariat. She said GIMPA’s draft gender policy currently focused on mainstreaming gender through research, publication, networking and advocacy and equipped various students of the institution with knowledge and skills to address existing gender disparities at their work places, particularly in the public service. Mrs Kathyola said development outcomes including eliminating poverty, increasing literacy levels, reducing maternal mortality and the impact of HIV/AIDS, eliminating hunger and promoting gender equality, as captured in the Millennium Development Goals could only be achieved if the human resources were well utilized. Source: BBC