<<Print>>

- Pregnant women in James Town and its environs, in Accra, on Friday embarked on a peace walk with a call on Ghanaians to ensure peace in Election 2012. The event was organised by Centre for Community Studies Action and Development (CENCOSAD) and Alliance for Reproductive Health Rights (ARHR), both Accra-based non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and funded by STAR Ghana, whose donors are DFID, DANIDA and the European Union. The walk, which was on the theme: �Promote Health Rights and Accountability in a Peaceful 2012 Election,� aimed at sensitizing pregnant women on the need to contribute to peace initiatives, particularly as Ghana prepares for elections in December, and also reminded politicians of their pledge to make Election 2012 peaceful. The pregnant women walked from the James Town Maternity Home to the high streets area in Accra. Mr. Raymond Tettey, Assembly Member for Ngleshie, advised women, especially expectant mothers, to impress upon their male counterparts or husbands to avoid acts of lawlessness that could result in violence in Election 2012. He said: �In the event of violence, men or husbands are most likely to be injured, arrested or killed, and this creates inconveniences for women and children.� Madam Cecielia Limangsiab Dam, civic education officer of the Metro Office of the National Commission for Civic Education, appealed to women to advice their husbands, siblings and children not to allow politicians to use them to foment trouble or cause violence in the December polls. Madam Edem Keteku, a Principal Nursing Officer at the James Town Maternity Home, commended the NGOs for giving pregnant women the opportunity to add their voices to the call for peaceful elections. Some pregnant women told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that women were obliged to support peace initiatives since they and children suffer most during war or civil strife. They regretted that during conflicts and violence, women and children suffer deprivation of food, shelter, health care and other welfare services.