By Gifty Amofa, GNA
Accra, March 21, GNA - The Australian High Commission has organised a dialogue for women in leadership with a call on Ghanaians to relentlessly advance gender equality and the empowerment of women towards leadership positions, especially, the young ones.
Mr Andrew Barnes the High Commissioner, who made the call, said though the participation and representation in leadership was competitive women continued to be disadvantaged because leadership had assumed a masculine value system.
“Women, therefore, have to surmount covert and overt institutional and social obstacles to reach leadership positions,” he emphasised.
Under the theme: “More Powerful Together”, the dialogue was part of the High Commission’s activities to mark International Women’s Day. It brought together young leaders in various fields of life.
High Commissioner Barnes said it was important to inspire potential young women leaders and offer them the opportunities to excel, because the number of women in leadership and decision-making remained low.
“We must all awaken to the fact that women possess the ideas and leadership to solve challenges in economic crisis, healthcare, climate change, violence against women and escalating conflicts,” he noted.
He expressed certainty that gender equality would not be realised, while women were absent from leadership in their communities, workplaces and politics.
“The aim of today’s gathering is to bring future women leaders with successful current leaders to inspire and mentor them, albeit briefly,” the High Commissioner explained.
The platform would, therefore, offer an opportunity to inspire young women leaders, equip and strategically prepare them to take up leadership roles.
It would also give them on strategies and techniques to improve their competitiveness and personal branding so as to breakthrough in tough working environments, as well as, make them team players.
Dr Zanetor Agyeman Rawlings, Member of Parliament for Korley Klottey, said, it was important to sensitise more men to accept gender equality to strike the balance but not to just rub shoulders with them.
Mrs Georgette Barnes Sakyi-Addo, President of Women in Mining, advised participants to identify and develop unique skills for themselves, which would become an asset in future.
She cautioned them against wasting their times on needless social media activities, saying, they should explore, dream and fly, but be themselves.
Dr James Clayman, a Senior Gyaenacologist with the St. John’s Hospital and Fertility Centre, encouraged women to persist as they were created to succeed and not to be afraid.
They should not be scared but be vocal about rejecting cultural impediments that relegated them to the background.
These include a popular the popular adage:”Quality beads do not make noise”, he said, explaining, in reality, it was causing women who were originally vocal when young to shut-up in their adulthood.
Ms Rashida Saani Nasamu, Chief Executive of I-Zah urged them to develop a unique image that distinguished them from others.
Participants called for a daily concerted effort for women to support each other and especially, those in leadership, by sharing their problems and experiences.
Ms Deborah Aikins, a lawyer, who led the discussion, said women would not succeed if there was no collaborative effort to champion their own cause.
GNA
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