The political will of the present NPP Government to put gender and children’s issues at the fore of the national development agenda is manifested in the establishment of the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs. Significantly, the Minister’s position as a Cabinet Minister is to ensure that government gives maximum consideration to issues relating to gender and children.

The Ministry has two implementing departments- the Department of Women and the Department of Children. These formerly were government agencies headed by Executive Secretaries who reported directly to the office of the President.

The Ministry, since its establishment in January 2001, has embarked on a number of projects and programmes to promote the rights and welfare of Women and Children and to mainstream gender and children’s concerns in all sectors and departments at the national, regional and district levels.

To ensure that all child and gender-focused organizations and stakeholders are properly guided on issues relating to women and children, there is a need for a policy-framework which clearly spells out the goals and aspirations of the Ministry and Government and sets the agenda for the development of women and children within the framework of the national development agenda. The policy must also have a bearing on all other Ministries and Departments that have anything to do with women and children.

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