First Lady pledges to forge women's advancement

First Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo marked International Women's Day at her Ridge Office on Tuesday 8th March, by hosting women from various backgrounds and institutions from across Ghana to reflect on the theme for this year's commemoration: "Be Bold for Change".

Addressing the gathering, the First Lady noted that this year's theme was rather spot on, considering a World Economic Forum prediction that "gender gap won't close entirely until 2186". She observed that if women were bold enough to galvanise individuals and organisations to commit to help women and girls achieve their ambitions, challenge gender biases, call for gender-balanced leadership, value women and men's contributions equally, and create inclusive flexible cultures, then we would sooner, rather than later, have a generation of women who are equal partners with men in all spheres of life.

She saluted women especially in Ghana who have made great contributions to get us closer to gender parity by empowering and inspiring generations of Ghanaian women. She acknowledged women such as Nana Yaa Asantewaa, Susana Al-Hassan, Sophia Doku Grace, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings, Chief Justice Theodora Georgina Wood, former Speaker of Parliament Joyce Adeline Bamford-Addo, Madam Frema Opare, the first Chief of Staff, Dr Joyce Aryee, Esther Ocloo, Air Force pilot Melody Millicent Danquah, and many others who have been trailblazers in empowering other women in fashion, politics, finance, small, and medium business and so many other areas.

The First Lady also noted that women still have a long way to go in achieving gender parity in the face of abuse and discrimination. She, therefore, pledged to forge women’s advancement and advocate for more political inclusiveness of women, noting that as a nation: "We cannot exclude a population that is more than half of Ghana’s population from political decision making. That is no way for us to develop."

She also charged all the women present to pledge to support the advancement of women in their various places of influence and "be the shoulders that other women stand on", stating that Ghana needed more female voices in politics and policy making as well as in academia, industry, business, finance, agriculture, the arts, and many more areas. She stated: "It is going to be a long arduous battle, but I believe we are up to it."

Present at the gathering were the Second Lady, H.E Samira Bawumia, former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, Chief Justice Theodora Georgina Wood, former Second Lady Hajia Ramatu Mahama, Electoral Commission chair Charlotte Osei, Dr Joyce Aryee, and many others.