First Lady Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo wants government to set standards for gender balance in the business environment.
This follows a World Economic Forum Gender Gap report which shows that despite making strides in education and political representation of women, the business and economic environment have been resistant to this change as the business environment is mostly dominated by men.
The First Lady who was speaking when she hosted 400 women across the country at a dinner to climax International Women’s Day said Ghana stands to gain millions of dollars in revenue if women are given equal opportunities as men in business.
According to the 2018 women in business trends, while men make almost 65 percent of business owners in the world, women only make 35 percent of business owners.
Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo said such a trend is a threat to the cause of empowering women as championed by the theme for the 2019 International Women’s Day, ’Balance for Better’.
In response to the call, the Minister of Business Development, Mohammed Awal said government is working to increase the number of female business owners by 45 percent in the next two years.
The UNFPA Country Director, Niyi Ojuolape, used the occasion to outdoor some accomplished business women who have volunteered to mentor girls under the ‘I WANT TO BE’ initiative by the Rebecca Foundation.
To climax the celebration of International Women’s Day eight women who excelled in their fields were awarded, with the topmost award going to Constance Ama Emefa Edjeani Afenu for being Ghana’s first female Brigadier General.
