University of Ghana's CEGENSA honors mentors empowering female academics
CEGENSA honored 28 distinguished individuals for their mentorship roles
The Centre for Gender Studies and Advocacy (CEGENSA) at the University of Ghana has recognized and honored 28 distinguished individuals for their mentorship roles in empowering female academics.
Read full articleAmong the awardees were Vice-Chancellor Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, Director of the Pan African Doctoral Academy Prof. Jemima Anderson, and former Vice-Chancellors Prof. Ivan Addae-Mensah and Prof. Ernest Aryeteey.
The event, themed "Empowering women academics and accelerating their progress in a changing world," aimed to encourage more female academics to take on challenging roles in academia.
According to Dr. Deborah Atobrah, Director of CEGENSA, the promotion of mentoring at the University of Ghana has been crucial for fostering gender equality. Despite numerous mentoring initiatives, many early and mid-career female faculty members have not been adequately mentored.
To address this, CEGENSA conducted a study to develop a viable mentoring model for female academics in the country, revealing a significant mentoring deficit and high work-related despondency among female academics.
The center received 32 outstanding nominations from female faculty members for individuals who have played key mentoring roles. This initiative was supported by the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) as part of the 2024 International Women’s Day celebration.
The goal was to appreciate and celebrate those who have supported and promoted women's advancement.
Prof. Gordon Awandare, Pro Vice-Chancellor of the UG, highlighted the university's progress in women's leadership, noting an increase in the ratio of women among deans and directors. He emphasized the importance of more women and girls venturing into male-dominated areas, particularly in the sciences, to address the existing gender disparities.
Representing AWDF, Beatrice Boakye Yiadom reiterated the fund's commitment to investing in women and advancing their cause.
AWDF has awarded grants to several women-led organizations in Ghana to commemorate International Women's Day, aiming to support transformative change that ensures women and girls enjoy equal rights and opportunities.
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