The Social Development and Gender Superintendent at AngloGold Ashanti (AGA) Obuasi Mine, Mavis Nana Yaa Kyei, has underscored the importance of girl child education.
She said it is only through education that girls can achieve their full potential.
Speaking at a durbar organized by the Obuasi Municipal Girl Child Unit in collaboration with AGA to mark the 2024 International Day of the Girl, Ms. Kyei said that when girls are empowered through education and investment in health, they stand a good chance of breaking barriers and competing in male-dominated fields.
She added that the celebration aligns with AngloGold Ashanti's core values of diversity, equity, and inclusion, not only in the workplace but also in their host communities.
Celebrated worldwide, International Day of the Girl is a key global moment to celebrate girls everywhere, amplifying their voices, actions, and leadership. It is a day that belongs to everyone who cares about girls and their rights. It is a day the world comes together to recognize and advocate for the full spectrum of girls’ rights.
The 2024 International Day of the Girl was themed "Girls' Vision for the Future."
The celebration in Obuasi brought together schoolgirls from both basic and senior high schools to mark the day.
According to the Social Development and Gender Superintendent, AngloGold Ashanti has instituted a plethora of programs targeted at empowering girls to realize their dreams, as contained in the cross-cutting theme of their 10-year SEDP, which is the basis of all their educational interventions.
These include menstrual hygiene education, aimed at ending period poverty and allowing girls access to education and helping them stay in school, as well as the Girls in Science mentorship program, which is rolled out in collaboration with Women in Engineering.
She called on girls to believe in their dreams.
"Your dreams are valid, and you can achieve everything that you set your mind to achieve."
The Obuasi Municipal Girl Child Coordinator, Cecilia Mensah, on her part, said the country is on the right path towards empowering women to achieve their full potential.
She said more girls and women are now assuming key roles previously considered the preserve of men in the country, confirming that stakeholders' efforts in empowering women are on the right trajectory.
Mrs. Mensah believes that organizing programs like the International Day of the Girl will further boost the capacity of girls to believe in their abilities and aspire to achieve great things in the future.