GNAT had another opportunity to host a Sub- Regional workshop for English speaking countries on Data Collection for PWE members. This workshop was organised by PWE, Regional office, Lome Togo. Participating countries included: Sierra Leone, Liberia, Nigeria and Ghana.

BOOK DEVELOPMENT
PATC in collaboration with GNAT organised a two-week Writers Workshop in Greater Accra in 2002. Fifteen (15) participants drawn from rural schools from the Upper West, Upper East, Northern, Volta, Western, Central and Greater Accra Regions benefited from the workshop. The aim of the workshop was to develop the writing capabilities of these writers to produce supplementary reading books for schools at the basic level. GNAT on its own organized the first book development workshop in Accra for eighteen (18) participants from 7th to 23rd March 2005. Eighteen books have been produced.

BOOK DONATION TO SCHOOLS
The Gender Desk donated 6000 supplementary readers to deprived schools in Ghana in 2003 / 2004. Reports reaching the Gender Desk indicate that children from the schools that benefited from the donation have improved their reading competence considerably. Thirty (30) schools benefited.

PWE BROCHURES
GNAT in collaboration with PWE coordinated the writing of eighteen thousand brochures on Child Labour, Child Trafficking, Violence at School, Cervical Cancer, Breast Cancer and Girl Child Education for PWE member countries. The Gender Desk produced six thousand copies of these brochures for GNAT members because members were yarning for more copies.

GNAT-LAS AND OTHER NGOS
GNAT LAS activists have participated with other NGO groups such as NCWD, NETRIGHT, WILDAF, IBIS, ABANTU For Development, FIDA, WAJU, in advocacy workshops in Accra. The main issues discussed have been sexual harassment, domestic violence, women in politics, child labour, and drafting of the women’s manifesto during the period under review.

Input to the Domestic Violence Bill
The gender desk organized a workshop on the Domestic Violence Bill. 36 participants were drawn from the Greater Accra region (2003). At the end of the workshop GNAT made an input to the bill that was before parliament.

Breast Screening For Women
The Gender Desk organized breast screening for one hundred (100) GNAT-LAS members from the Greater Accra Region (2003). Through coordination the Breast Screening team from Korle-bu went to almost all districts in Brong Ahafo , Upper West, Volta and the Greater Accra Regions, and some few districts in Western region. More than ten thousand women have been screened. Serious cases have been referred to the appropriate quarters for treatment.

HIV/AIDS PROJECT
GNAT in collaboration with the Ghana AIDS commission is implementing an HIV/AIDS project for the Education Sector. It is the women’s desk, which is solely responsible for this project, which started in 2003 but will end in 2005 with the following objectives;
• Educate and sensitize teachers about preventive measures to take in order to avert HIV/AIDS infection
• Provide education and counseling services for teachers and children of infected teachers, especially those who are orphaned and give them support
• Identify teachers who are living with HIV/AIDS
• Develop a social support for those infected
• Support to disseminate information about HIV/AIDS through planned curricular activities to their students and pupils
• Equip teachers, pupils and community members with the requisite life skills for them to co-exist with persons living with HIV/AIDS

The project is on pilot basis in five districts – Adansi West – Obuasi in the Ashanti Region, Dormaa Ahenkro in the Brong Ahafo Region, Bole in the Northern Region, Aflao in the Volta Region and Elubo / Half Assini in the Jomoro District in the Western Region. A baseline survey was conducted in the Pilot districts.

A training of trainers’ workshop was organised for 30 Regional and District Secretaries and Teachers from the project district in Kumasi – March- 2004. This was replicated in the districs.

Launching the GNAT HIV/AIDS Project
The GNAT HIV/AIDS project was launched at Dormaa Ahenkro on 25th November 2004. It was a massive sensitization as more than two thousand (2,000) students, teachers, GNAT staff and people from all walks of life attended. The campaign was a huge success.

The Gender Desk followed up to assess what was going on in the districts. A very intensive HIV/AIDS campaign was mounted in the pilot districts and greater Accra region for students, teachers and community members. Statistics as below.
Number of Female Male Condoms Distributed
Teachers 698 362 27,708
Students (SSS) 216 205
Pupils (Basic) 675 583
Community members 746 360
VCT 200 169
No. Through VCT 23 8

Total number of people sensitized and trained 2,558

Counselling Units
Six counselling units have been opened in the project districts including one at Headquarters. The objective is to counsel teachers and students with diverse problems – alcoholism, financial problems or those affected or infected with HIV/AIDS. Seventeen counselors were trained. District secretariats are used as counselling centers. At headquarters a big center has been furnished and counselling goes on every Wednesday from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.

GNAT-LAS on Mmaa Nkommo
The Gender Desk Organized Mmaa Nkommo Talk Show on GTV to sensitize society on the Prevention of HIV/AIDS and the Support and Care of People Living with HIV/AIDS. This programme attracted Hairdressers, Seamstresses, Students and Teachers. More than five hundred people attended the show.

HIV/AIDS Workplace Policy
HIV/AIDS policy has been drafted for the approval of the National Executive.

EMPLOYABLE SKILL TRAINING
The GNAT HIV/AIDS project is still on going. There will be skill training for the youth and orphans of teachers who need help during this last quarter.

GNAT-LAS PROGRAMMES
The Gender Desk has developed a Gender Policy for GNAT, (2003). The Policy will now direct the activists of GNAT – LAS. The National Executive has adopted the policy. Ten thousand copies have been printed for distribution.

The Gender Desk at Headquarters organized two workshops for selected activists and District Coordinators in all ten regions in 2002 and 2004 respectively. This was to strengthen and sharpen the leadership skills of GNAT-LAS activists. The Workshops trained 95 Women Organizers and activists. Eight hundred women benefited from these regional workshops. More