Celebrate African women – Mahama’s Education Minister advises Ghanaians

Correspondence from Central Region

The former Minister for Education under the erstwhile John Mahama government, Professor Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang has urged Ghanaians to celebrate African women who stood their grounds in the face of oppression and who now serve as examples of self-sacrifice.

Speaking as a guest speaker on the theme, “I am generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights” during a symposium organized by the Centre For Gender Research Advocacy and Documentation (CEGRAD) of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) as part of a program to mark the International Women’s Day, the former Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast highlighted that Ghanaians should celebrate women who stood in the face of oppression and now serve as examples of sacrifice.

This is because some of these ones may be people who do not have voices as seen in our own Ghanaian history, we come across such ones, but they are not honored and celebrated for their resilience and efforts they took in standing their grounds in the face of oppression.

“As we celebrate International Women’s Day, we might wish to congratulate all the people, of course women included; who have brought us this far, from our lack of rights and what remains unfinished business. We must learn to celebrate African women who stood their grounds in the face oppression and who now serve as examples of self-sacrifice” she stated.

She further went on to urge and stimulate the minds of those privilege in society especially women, to fight for the course of other women. According to her, she salutes the struggling everyday woman, who is keeping up a good fight even with their babies strapped behind their back.

“When I see women with babies on their back, a tray of water on their heads, I salute them. They are also a group of people who are strong, doing the best for themselves and who don’t have voices. Those of us who have voices, do we ever use them in their interest too, or we think we have to rather make our voices louder?” she quizzed.

The fight for the respect and enjoyment of basic human rights, like the right to vote and take part in active decision making at governance level is a fight that was started by some feminists in Europe in the 1910’s and has remained till date, further culminating into the celebration of the International Women’s Day.

CEGRAD was established in March 2014, to see to gender issues affecting students and particularly women on the University of Cape Coast campus. CEGRAD also works with the Gender Ministry to help deal with gender issues. The centre is currently handling issues of sexuality at the University Practice Senior High School in Cape Coast as well.