Mannheim-Friday May 19, 2022: The Head of the Local Government Service, Ing. Dr. Nana Ato Arthur was among dignitaries who participated and addressed the Urban Thinkers Campus of the city of Mannheim in Germany. The Urban Thinkers Campus is an initiative of the World Urban Campaign (WUC) of the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat). It serves as a platform for innovative exchanges between urban actors, local and international experts; and provides important input for the further development of society on the global level.
Speaking on the topic; Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in the Global Development Agenda 2030, Ing. Dr. Nana Ato Arthur pledged the Local Government Service’s (LGS) commitment to support both national and international efforts to ensure increased women participation in local governance administration and the creation of equal opportunities for all. He noted that the LGS has initiated a process to review the gender policy of the Service to ensure inclusivity and indicated that the Service is open to partner interested individuals and organizations in this regard.
His presentation further outlined strategies to ensure a gender-responsive society. These include; the need for an overall political will and commitment; and modelling best practices & setting targets for women in leadership through collaborations with stakeholder organizations to build a culture of respect and fairness. Others include supporting local government to devise comprehensive Scheme and Conditions of Service that are gender sensitive; continuous capacity development programmes on gender equality for staff to consolidate gender equality across local governments; and integration of gender-sensitive activities in the programmes and interventions of local government authorities.
The Head of Service is a regular panelist at the annual Urban Thinkers Campus forum.
Source: http://www.lgs.gov.gh