Accra, May 14, 2012 The Executive Director of the Alliance for Reproductive Health Rights, ARHR, Vicky Okine has appealed to Government, trade unions, the private sector and other labour stakeholders to advocate for the enactment of a Work-Family Balance Policy. This policy will take into consideration, Access to Family Health Services such as Family Planning Services, the adoption of Paternity Leave, Flexible Working Arrangements to Child Benefits and Equal Access to Employment for Women among others.

Miss Okine said when Ghana enacts a Work-Family Balance Policy; it will demonstrate both government's commitment to the well-being of families and the private sector's commitment to social responsibility. This is contained in a press release to mark International Day of Families which is themed 'Ensuring Work Family Balance'.

The International Day of Families was instituted by the United Nations and is celebrated globally on the 15th of May each year. This year's celebration is themed 'Ensuring Work Family Balance'. It provides an opportunity to promote awareness of issues relating to families and increase the knowledge of the social, economic and demographic processes affecting families.

The Executive Director said rapid urbanization and the search for better job opportunities outside of one's home towns has resulted in the weakening of traditional extended family networks that provide care and support for younger and vulnerable family members. She therefore called for the adoption of the social capital concept which will help instill the values and norms of society, ensure better health care delivery, promote higher educational achievement which will ultimately bring about economic gains for the country as a whole.

Miss Okine welcomed recent family-related initiatives instituted by the Government such as the Free Family Planning Services Policy announcement by the Ministry of Health. She said Family Planning Services can reduce the number of women who die during child birth by a third. Currently the maternal mortality rate stands at 350,000 per 100,000 live births. The Executive Director asked the Government to put in measures to address the inequalities in access to health care and empower women to utilize Family Planning Services.

The Executive Director said her organization will continue to advocate for the reproductive health rights of the poor and other disadvantaged groups in underserved communities. ARHR will also continue to promote social justice particularly in health-related issues by highlighting the social, economic and geographical inequalities in the provision of and impact of health services.

Alliance for Reproductive Health Rights
Alliance for Reproductive Health Rights (ARHR) comprises 38 Ghanaian National and Local NGOs and exists to advocate for the reproductive rights of the poor, seeks more equitable access to sexual and reproductive health and among others.