SEND GHANA hosts first Gender Model Families summit.

SEND GHANA (Social Enterprises Development Foundation) is holding the first Gender Model Families (GMF) summit from April 7 to 8, at Salaga in the Northern Region, to promote gender equality among farming families.

The Gender Model Families, a gender equality programme under SEND GHANA’s  “Food Security through Cooperatives in Northern Ghana (FOSTERING)” project funded by Global Affairs Canada, is designed to train and support spouses to live in an equitable and just manner. .

A statement by SEND GHANA said the summit includes 18 Gender Model Families and stakeholders such as traditional leaders, development partners and gender activists who are supportive of removing the burden on women unable to make meaningful contributions to productive and management roles in their communities.

“The GMF programme is enabling farm families to redistribute household chores equitably among members to ease the work load on women and girls and improve family relations,” Mr Raymond Wekem Avatim, Director of SEND GHANA’s Livelihood Security Programme was quoted as saying.

“Through training and follow-up services, husband and wife are equipped with knowledge and skills to live together equitably and to ensure their boys and girls have the same opportunities to develop their potential.”

The organization said FOSTERING has recruited and trained 574 Gender Model Families in districts across Northern Ghana and it is expected that by 2018, the FOSTERING project will have established 2,000 GMFs in the operational districts of the project.

By Emmanuel Odonkor