The National Population Council (NPC) was established in 1992 and given legal backing under the National Population Council Act, 1994, Act 485, as the highest advisory body to the Government of Ghana on all population and related issues through advocacy and effective coordination of the implementation of all population policies and programmes. The establishment of the National Population Council was also in response to Article 37(4) of the 1992 Constitution which states that: The State shall maintain a population policy consistent with the aspirations and development needs and objectives of Ghana.
In 1994, the Government of Ghana adopted its second National Population Policy with the objective among others to provide the population with the necessary information and education on the value of a small family size specifically, and sexual and reproductive health in general (Section 4.3.5). This is in line with efforts by Government to improve and sustain the quality of life of the people of Ghana. This noble vision requires the commitment of all sections of the country’s population especially men who are often the decision makers on family size and partners use of contraceptives.
As part of efforts to ensure the implementation of the National Population Policy, the National Population Council held its maiden Male conference under the theme ‘The role of men in sustaining quality of life for all. A driving force for national development’ on 26th July, 2017 at the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, Accra. The objective of the conference was as follows:
- Create a platform for partners to share knowledge and experiences on the role of men in promoting and sustaining family welfare for national development,
- Advocate for the provision of resources to enhance the role of men in family welfare and family planning,
- Generate information and data to feed into policy and programmes on male involvement.
Participants at the meeting included representatives from academia, research institutions, traditional leaders, metropolitan, municipal and districts assemblies, ministries, departments and agencies, stakeholders in the area of adolescent reproductive health and family planning programming in Ghana. About hundred and fifty (150) people participated in the conference.
Download the report: http://www.partners-popdev.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Male-Conference-Report-Ghana-July2017.pdf