Former first lady, Lordina Mahama has suggested that taking advantage of the existing educational opportunities and the technological age can help achieve the global target of achieving a 50-50 ratio of men to women in the workforce by 2030.
In a statement to mark the day, she said, skills training must also be adopted to address the issue of gender parity.
“On the occasion of International Women’s Day, I salute all women of Ghana and congratulate you for your hard work, dedication, commitment and often unrecognized but hugely significant contribution towards the development of Ghana. Today is our Day. It belongs to the sister who spun the cotton yarn, the woman who tilled the soil, the one who defied the scorching sun to earn a living for her family, and that woman who nursed the sick baby back to health,” she said.
The statement added that, “I applaud the achiever who has left that sterling mark of excellence and professionalism in our hospitals, our classrooms, at the pulpit, in the mosque, parliament, our courts, security services, and all other places of work. I pay homage to that multi-tasker who aside from looking after our homes and our young ones, diligently work in our markets, on our farms and at the beaches in order to cater for the needs of the family.”
She commended women for their roles in ensuring socio-economic and political development in various societies adding that the world must recognize women as a competent partner with their male counterparts.
“The world owes it a duty to offer the woman all the support she needs to fully exploit her potential and creativity.”
“Despite our changing roles and increased number of women who enter the Ghanaian workforce each year, we are still able to multitask and care for the family. I am excited, that the Supreme Court of Ghana has legally recognized our unpaid work. This is an important victory.”
“In line with the theme of ‘women in a changing world of work’, I acknowledge efforts by women who work for a living in Ghana. Most of our working women are parents who work in the informal sector and many work under dire conditions, yet are striving and dedicated to make a world of difference in the lives of their families.”
She also expressed optimism in the prospects of the Ghanaian woman and the ability of society to eliminate regressive cultural practices. “The future is bright; we will work hard together to eliminate cultural practices like child marriage, and gender based violence, so that we create the right environment and opportunities for women to do decent work in Ghana.”
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