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| The Deputy Minister, Mrs. Dela Sowah, Prof. D. D. Kuupole & Prof. Mansah Prah cutting tape to open an office complex for CEGRAD |
The Centre for Gender Research, Advocacy, and Documentation has officially been opened by the Deputy Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Mrs. Dela Sowah at a ceremony in the University.
The Centre which has been in operation since 2013 aims at positioning UCC as a leader for the attainment of gender equality and women’s rights within the University and beyond.
In a speech read on behalf of the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Nana Oye Lithur, at the function, Mrs. Dela Sowah said the ministry was sponsoring two important bills to expand the frontiers gender equality in the country. These were the Gender Equality and Affirmative Action Bill, which will provide legally, mandated systems, structures and policies to ensure women’s equal participation. The second is the Intestate Succession and Property Rights of Spouses Bill, which would provide a uniform intestate succession that will be applied throughout the country irrespective of the inheritance system of the intestate and the type of marriage contracted.
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| Ghana Police Ladies Association were in attendance |
The Minister expressed delight that the mission of the Centre, which is “positioning UCC as a leader for the attainment of gender equality and women’s rights within the academy and beyond”. She noted that the hard work and dedication exhibited by the team in the past two years of operation is a proof that the “We can expect a very bright future”.
The Minister applauded the management of the University for the Initiative to set up the centre and urged the University to factor gender mainstreaming in its strategic plans and incorporate gender studies into its mainstream academic curriculum.
She indicated that in spite of the success stories, there were a number of challenges that bedevil gender activities. “Currently, the country grapples with several barriers of cultural, political and social dimensions that fuel gender inequalities and violence against women”
She assured that, the Centre of the full support of the ministry in their work of researching, advocacy and outreach in the interest of women and other marginalized groups.
In his welcome address, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. D. D. Kuupole, said the setting up of CEGRAD was in response to internal and external commitments which included the Key thrust 2 of the University’s Strategic Plan which aims at creating a conducive working environment, which recognizes equal opportunities for Faculties, Staff and Students.
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| Students from Cape Coast Techncal School were present in their numbers |
The Vice-Chancellor stated that research has shown that “Half of the world’s population is female and that gender inequalities tend to slow economic growth and make the rise out of poverty difficult.” He also intimated that women tend to work harder than men in most societies and “are the major producers and consumers, and are likely to invest their earnings in their children and shoulder critical life –sustaining responsibilities without which men and boys could not survive, much less enjoy high levels of productivity”. He gave the assurance that the university was committed to ensuring that the cloud over our understanding of gender issues was gradually lifted.
The head of the Centre, Prof. Akua Britwum, in her remarks thanked all who in diverse ways have contributed to the setting up of the centre, and paid glowing tribute to Professors Mansa Prah and Nancy Lundgren for their immense support. She indicated that the centre would be collaborating with other gender groups both within and outside the country in the coming years.
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| A spectacular performance from students of the Department of Music |
The Deputy Minister later joined the Vice-Chancellor and Prof. Mansah Prah to officially open an office complex for CEGRAD.There was also an exhibition to showcase the activities of CEGRAD since its establishment.
Source:ucc.edu.gh
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