She Builds Conference: MTN, Academic Women Foundation Champion Women’s Empowerment

News Ghana, Latest Updates and Breaking News of Ghana, Ike Dzokpo, https://www.newsghana.com.gh/she-builds-conference-mtn-academic-women-foundation-champion-womens-empowerment/

The Academic Women Foundation, in partnership with MTN Ghana, has organised the “She Builds Conference” in Accra.

The Conference brought together policymakers, academics, entrepreneurs, and civil society leaders to advance the cause of women’s empowerment and leadership in Ghana.

The event, themed “From Margin to Center: Redefining Power,” highlighted the need to transform women’s roles from passive contributors to central figures in decision-making, innovation, and nation-building.

Gender Minister Calls for Redefining Power

The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, speaking at the conference  highlighted government’s commitment to gender equality, pointing to the passage of the Affirmative Action (Gender Equality) Act, 2024 (Act 1121) as a landmark step toward increasing women’s representation in politics, governance, and public life.

“This legislation is a game changer,” she said. “It breaks down barriers that have kept women out of decision-making spaces for too long and ensures equal opportunities in appointments, employment, and leadership.”

She added that alongside this Act, government is expanding access to quality education for girls, protecting women’s rights in workplaces, strengthening laws against gender-based violence, and supporting women’s entrepreneurship through finance and skills development.

“For generations, women’s voices, talents, and leadership have been confined to the margins applauded, yet undervalued. But the margin is no longer enough. Women belong at the center of decision-making, innovation, entrepreneurship, and national development,” she declared.

Minister Lartey urged women to embrace influence, impact, and inclusion as the true measures of power. “From margin to center is not just a theme it is a movement. No nation can prosper if half of its population is left behind.”

Dr. Anatu Mahama Emphasizes Mindset and Mentorship

Dr. Anatu Mahama, founder of the Academic Women Foundation, described the conference as deeply inspiring, noting that it reaffirmed the collective belief in the potential of women to drive lasting change across society.

She emphasized the importance of genuine mentorship in developing young women leaders. “We need female mentors who are honest and actively support the next generation. It inspires hope and proves that women can achieve great things with the right mindset and dedication to excellence,” she said.

Dr. Mahama encouraged young women to cultivate a positive mindset, build crucial skills, and aim for excellence in their careers. “New frontiers and glass ceilings are waiting to be broken by the next generation of female leaders,” she added.

Angela Mensah-Poku Highlights Barriers for Female Entrepreneurs

Angela Mensah-Poku, Chief Enterprise Business Officer at MTN Ghana, provided a private-sector perspective on the structural challenges that hinder the growth of women-led businesses in Ghana’s predominantly informal economy.

She noted that although women run a large share of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), many remain excluded from formal systems. “Countless women entrepreneurs are generating hundreds of thousands of dollars, but they remain outside these systems. Without proper registration, digital identities, or access to formal funding channels, their growth potential is restricted,” she stressed.

Mensah-Poku identified digital identity as a particularly pressing issue, pointing out that in some cases, women rely on their husbands’ names to register SIM cards or bank accounts. This, she said, undermines their ability to prove business ownership when applying for loans. “If you are excluded from the very basic level of interaction like digital identity, you are excluded from opportunities,” she emphasized

.

She further noted that lack of confidence, mentorship, and training also prevent many women from scaling up. To address this, she urged female entrepreneurs to adopt digital tools, professional email addresses, and formal business structures to attract investment.

Mensah-Poku also drew attention to the gender gap in science and technology fields. Although women hold 42% of senior management positions at MTN Ghana, their presence in engineering and computer science remains limited. She called for intentional efforts in education and mentorship to inspire more girls to explore careers in STEM.

Discussing the unique challenges faced by female entrepreneurs, she remarked: “When you run your own business and get pregnant, there’s no such thing as maternity leave. You work up until delivery, and that unfairly impacts women.”

She disclosed that MTN Ghana, in collaboration with banks and other stakeholders, has launched programs offering funding access, affordable business services, and mentorship opportunities specifically designed for women entrepreneurs.

A Shared Call to Action

The She Builds Conference concluded  with a renewed call for collaboration among government, the private sector, academia, and civil society to create supportive environments where women can thrive. The event reaffirmed a shared belief that women are not just contributors to national development but key drivers of transformative change.

Source: Isaac Kofi Dzokpo/newsghana.com.gh

News Ghana, Latest Updates and Breaking News of Ghana, Ike Dzokpo, https://www.newsghana.com.gh/she-builds-conference-mtn-academic-women-foundation-champion-womens-empowerment/

Read More