Gender Mainstreaming Directorate Organises Conference for UEW Women Leaders
The Gender Mainstreaming Directorate in syndicate with the Local National Union of Ghana Students (L-NUGS) Women’s Commission and Graduate Students' Association of Ghana (GRASAG) Gender Commission has organised a day’s colloquium for University of Education, Winneba (UEW) women leaders.
The conference, which took place on Friday, 11th June, 2021, at the Registrar’s Conference Room, North Campus, Winneba, was held under the theme “Women’s Journey to Leadership Challenges, Opportunities, Way Forward”.
Delivering the welcome address on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, Rev. Fr. Prof. Anthony Afful-Broni, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Andy Ofori-Birikorang, who doubled as the chairman for the event, lauded the Gender Mainstreaming Directorate for its efforts to bringing young women together annually to discuss leadership and related issues.
He was elated to be part of the seminar, which had been specifically organised for all the female student leaders and female early career professionals of the university. “Women’s journey to leadership begins when they attain a level of awareness of the problem in the society and build the desire, drive, enthusiasm, vision and determination to call for a progressive change”.
Prof. Ofori-Birikorang advised participants not to wait for someone to motivate them to acquire high positions but rather should fight hard to embrace conflict, build trust and be prepared to learn from their followers, because leadership requires inherent strength.
“If women should stay more focused and strengthen the ‘sistable’ bonds, they will see leadership as a responsibility and become less concerned about their image in society,” he noted.
Addressing participants on the keynote topic: “Women in Leadership”, the Ag Dean, Faculty of Home Economics Education, Prof. Phyllis Forster shared her life experiences and journey to leadership. She advised women not to be intimidated by anyone, but rather seek the best results in everything they do and also fight hard until they reach their goals in life.
She urged them to put God first in everything they do, get closer to experienced colleagues, live their lives and not the lives of others and to focus on their personal development, work and let their money do the rest.
Speaking on behalf of the Registrar, Surv. Paul Osei-Barima, Esq., the Deputy Registrar of Operations, Mr. Alexander Essah, also thanked the Directorate for organising such a forum for women. He entreated participants to take the opportunities that come to them and strive to be on top to break the wrong perceptions society has about women. “I wish you well during this period and I hope that before this programme ends everyone will acquire something worthwhile,” he averred.
Present at the conference were the, Ag. Head, Gender Mainstreaming Directorate, Ms. Eva Annan, and other female leaders in the University.
