The Centre for Gender Research Advocacy and Documentation (CEGRAD), University of Cape Coast (UCC) has joined the rest of the world in observing International Women’s Day (IWD).
March 8 every year is earmarked by the United Nations (UN) to celebrate the successes of women.
The day is also used to challenge gender stereotypes, call out discrimination, draw attention to bias, seek inclusion, and call for action to accelerate gender parity.
Commemorated on the theme, “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress”, the event was graced by security experts, gender activists, academia, students and civil society groups.
Keynote speaker at the event, a former Director of CEGRAD, Prof. Akua Biritwum, stressed the need for more investments in women to eliminate negative gender stereotypes to achieve gender equality to advance progress in the country.
She indicated, " We need to make more investment in removing the negative gender stereotypes. Till we do that, I am afraid gender equality will elude us and we will not be able to accelerate progress."
Former Director of CEGRAD-UCC, Prof. Akua Biritwum
She stated that there was still a lot of workplace discrimination against women, alleging that some employers were hesitant to hire women of childbearing age, pregnant women, women on maternity leave, and women with young children.
Towards addressing this challenge, she called for the promotion of a safe work environment by organisations and charged leaders at all levels to address the gender gap to create the right environment for women.
She lampooned the media for its erroneous perception that all allies of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transexual, and queer (LGBTQ+) people were indulging in anal sex.
Consequently, she disagreed with the passage of the Proper Human Sexual Rights and Family Value Bill, 2021, popularly known as the anti-gay bill, by Parliament, which proscribed a minimum sentence of six months and a maximum of three years for persons caught in the act of same-sex activities.
"When you make a social problem a criminal problem, then you defeat the whole essence of values. Values are inculcated. values are not forced by locking up people in prison" she continued.
Therefore, she called on women to join hands together through a renewed energy to fight against the inequality of the anti-gay bill which will hurt society as a whole.
As part of the programme, a panel discussion moderated by Dr. Theresah Patrine Ennin, of the Department of English-UCC, six panellists shared their candid views on female empowerment and urged women to support one another while providing mutual support by creating opportunities for their advancement.
The only male panelist, Emeritus Prof. K. Awusabo Asare, of the Department of Population and Health-UCC, praised Rebecca Naa Dedei Aryeetey, whose image is on Ghana's 50 pesewas coin, for her tenacity of purpose.
According to him, Madam Aryeetey, a devout feminist and the chief financier of the then Kwame Nkrumah-led Convention People’s Party (CPP), was a source of inspiration and worthy of emulation to all women.
" My wish is that we all learn about Dede and see how she can inspire all of us. I want all of us to aspire to inspire before we expire in life, while we rethink our socialization process, he added.
Members of the Atlantic Hall Traditional Council at the event
The Director of CEGRAD, Prof. Eunice Fay Amissah, in a brief message, said her outfit was committed to championing gender equality in all aspects of society.
Source: Documentation and Information Section-UCC