The FUSSAG Women’s Committee and the Legon Ladies Club (LELAC) marked the International Women’s Day celebration on 8th March 2022 under the theme “Gender Equality Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow”. The celebration was in line with International Women’s Day commemorated globally on March 8, every year to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity.
Delivering the keynote address was the first female Director of the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Prof. Dorothy Yeboah-Manu. In her opening she remarked that the United Nations (UN) as an international body has recognized the contribution of women and girls around the world, who are leading the charge on climate change adaptation, mitigation, and response, to build a more sustainable future for all. This, she said “emphasizes the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) five (5) with the aim of achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls with a focus on ending gender disparities, eliminating violence against women and girls’ lives, eliminating early and forced marriage, securing equal participation and opportunities for leadership, and universal access to sexual and reproductive rights”.
She further explained that the time has come for the world to know that there is another gender that is not different but special which is the woman. “The woman is versatile and is capable of doing many things. Therefore women must be given equal representation in all areas of national discourses. And that is what can make our world a better place to live”, she added.
She admitted that the nation’s efforts toward achieving a gender-balanced country have been quite significant yet there is still a lot to be done.
Speaking on ways of promoting gender parity, Prof. Yeboah-Manu called on the FUSSAG Women’s Committee and the Legon Ladies Club to join forces to organize events that seek to promote gender equality from time to time. “Those of us who have had some level of education must talk, act and remain persistent in making this happen at all cost”, she added.
Mrs. Joyce Duah, Chairperson of the FUSSAG Women’s committee called on all women gathered to arise to be champions because “Without the woman, the world would be incomplete, the picture imperfect, the table unbalanced. Her voice matters, her choices matter”
Mrs. Maame Efua Ocansey, President of the Legon Ladies Club in her brief remarks noted that women’s contributions to a sustainable future must not be about how many women are on board. Adding that “the best solution to breaking the bias is our quality output. Let us begin to move the conversations from what does not work or what works to things we can do and those we can do better. Let us stop the bias”.
The ceremony was attended by over 100 female staff of the Unversity
