The Gender and Social Inclusion Unit (GSI) of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has organised a three-day training workshop for GSI Focal Persons and other staff of ECG.

The workshop which took place at the Volta Hotel in Akosombo on last week saw twenty participants drawn from all ECG operational regions. They include, GSI Focal Persons, representatives from Women in Engineering (WinE), and Identifiable Bodies in ECG participating in various discussion sessions on the theme; “Male engagement in Advancing Gender Equity".

The workshop was aimed at empowering the participants with knowledge and skills needed to promote gender equity within ECG.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the workshop, the Manager in charge of GSI, Madam Rosemond Asamoa-Frimpong highlighted the importance of male engagement in achieving sustainable progress in gender equality.

She said engaging males in gender issues in organisations creates equal opportunities for all to thrive and that ECG as an organisation is poised to involve males in gender issues at the work place to achieve a favourable workplace environment for all genders.

The GSI manager noted that, often times when issues of gender are raised at the workplace and other settings, the attention is skewed towards advancing the cause of females and stressed the need to handle gender issues from the point of view of both men and women.

She therefore emphasied the need to involve males in gender issues at the workplace to achieve a favourable work place environment for all genders.

According to her, since the establishment of the GSI Unit in ECG, the company is building a more supportive and inclusive workplace where everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed; adding that “by involving male employees in gender conversations, ECG is fostering a culture of exclusivity and shared responsibility in advancing gender equality”.

She mentioned that the training workshop was not only meant to equipped the participants with valuable tools and insights but also served as a platform for knowledge sharing and collaboration. She said, through interactive sessions and group exercises, the participants gained a deeper understanding of the complexities surrounding gender issues and explored innovative approaches to driving positive change at the workplace.

The USIAD Gender Coach, Khumo Mokhethi took the the participants through series of discussions on best practices for promoting gender equity, with a particular focus on the role of men in driving meaningful change in organisations.

Some of the sessions included; engendering industries Employee life cycle, Gender, Culture and organisation’s growth, debates and demonstrations on some gender centred issues that affects organisations.

She mentioned that the workshop is aimed to serve as a platform for participants to enhance their understanding of gender dynamics, foster male engagement in promoting gender equity, and develop strategies for advancing inclusivity within ECG's operations.

She therefore charged the participants to endeavour to train other staff on the knowledge acquired to promote a gender sensitive work environment for ECG

Other facilitators for the training workshop included Daniel Iyoha-Ojie; Training consultant for Equimundo and Cody Ragonese, Deputy Director of programes for Equimundo. The participants receive a certificate of participation from Equimundo

ECG's commitment to gender mainstreaming is evident through the establishment of the GSI Unit, the first of its kind in the energy sector in Ghana. By prioritizing gender and social inclusion, ECG is not only setting a precedent within the industry but also contributing to a more equitable society.