FEMALE leaders in Ghana have been challenged to accomplish their own goals without worrying about other people’s opinions.
They should investigate and acquire knowledge in particular fields, continuously enhancing their professional and leadership abilities.
The advice was given by the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Environment and Sanitation Group of the Jospong Group Of Companies, Mrs Florence Larbi when she addressed the fourth cohort of 40 female trainees on the Female Future Programme Ghana (FFPGH).
The FFPGH is a leadership and boardroom competency development programme for women launched in 2019 by the Ghana Employees Association (GEA) with support from the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO).
Mrs Larbi charged the female participants to remain resolute in their quests to excel in their fields of endeavour, saying “anytime you are told you cannot do something because you are a woman, give a thousand reasons why that can be done because the inherent power of the woman creates, nurtures and transforms.”
She further charged the women to keeping in mind that the best method to improve other people’s perceptions of you is to demonstrate your own strengths and accomplishments.
The Jospong COO lamented that females made less than 24% of the world’s parliamentarians and 5% of its mayors, while in Ghana, Parliament had only 40 females out of the 275 members (14.5%).
“This is well below the United Nations’ 30% benchmark as stipulated in the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action,” she noted, in disappointment.
The phenomenon, she lamented “sadly reflects our leadership reality across our executive and judiciary arms of government. For two decades, about 67% of the world’s illiterate adults have been females.”
She pointed out that many countries had discriminatory laws against economic empowerment of females.
“In fact, in some countries, a husband can legally prevent the wife from working,” Mrs Larbi stated.
According to her, it will take 132 years and 98 years for the world and Sub-Saharan Africa to close the gender parity gaps, respectively.
Second Vice President of GEA, Mrs Victoria Hajar praised employers for nominating and continuing to nominate female talents to participate in the programme.
The initiative, she observed, “shows your organisation’s support for gender equality, female empowerment as well as inclusion and diversity at the workplace.”
“This attests to your organisation’s contribution towards Ghana’s efforts to meet its obligations under the Sustainable Development Goals, especially Goals 5 and 8, which seek to attain gender equality, productive and decent employment for all,” the GEA second Vice President said.
