Female Empowerment and Advocacy for Development (FEAD) and Teen Talk Ghana have held a women's empowerment summit in Wa in the Upper West Region to highlight women's stories that inspire action towards social inclusion.

The summit, dubbed HerStory Summit, was held under the theme "Count Her In: Accelerating Gender Equality through Economic Empowerment" to commemorate the 2024 International Women's Day celebration.

Speaking at the summit, the Executive Director of FEAD Ghana, Hajia Hikmat Baba Dua said her outfit believed in the stories of women and the power of the stories to make a difference in the lives of society.

"These stories build the foundation of who we are—individually, in this world, and as a collective," she said.

Hajia Dua said the story of a woman had long been silenced because "generations of women listened to ‘his story’ and believed in a singular point of view of that of the men around them."

She, thus, said the summit intended to highlight the stories of women to inspire the young generation of females to confidently exude their potential and impact the world around them.

Linat Osman Kundaribuo, the Executive Director of Teen Talk, said International Women's Day was not just a day but a movement to recognize the resilience, strength, and unwavering determination of women from all walks of life.

"It was not just the continuous celebration of our [women’s] successes, but also to acknowledge the challenges we continue to face in our pursuit of equality and justice," she added.

Mrs. Kundaribuo called for the reaffirmation of commitments by all members of the society to advance the rights and opportunities for women and girls everywhere.

"Let's stand in solidarity with them, amplifying their voices and championing their cause," she urged.

Prof. Hamidatu Darimani, a lecturer with the Dr. Hilla Limann Technical University who was the chairperson for the occasion, said the economic empowerment of women does not necessarily mean increasing women's income but giving them the tools, resources, and space to control their own destinies.

"When women are financially empowered, they are better able to support themselves and their families, contribute to their communities, and drive economic growth and prosperity for all," she said.

She said even though women had come far empowered, systemic barriers continued to hold them back which she called for deliberate efforts to break such barriers.

"Whether it's the gender pay gap, limited access to healthcare and education, or cultural norms that limit their opportunities, far too many women are still being left behind," Prof. Darimani stated.

The summit featured a panel discussion session constituted by Hajia Humu Awudu, the Wa Central parliamentary candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Eunice Yorgri, a lecturer at the SDD UBIDS, and Faalong Nuong, a communications specialist, and revelling keynote speeches by Tsonam Cleanse Akpeloo, the Chair of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), and Oheneyere Gifty Anti, a seasoned Ghanaian female journalist who was also the special guest of honour for the summit.

Meanwhile, some outstanding women leaders and changemakers were honoured with citations at the summit, including Prof. Hamidatu Darimani, a lecturer; Nancy A. Dery, founder of Women Powering Possibilities (WPP); Hajia Humu Awudu, founder of the Hajia Humu Foundation; Faalong Nuong, communications specialist; and Dr. Eunice Yorgri, a lecturer.

The rest were: Maria Johana Yuorpor, CEO and Director of Mara Foods and Beautiful Smiles Project; Ida Nakaar, International Development practitioner; Hajia Hikmat Baba Dua, Executive Director of FEAD Ghana; and Linat Osman Kundaribuo, Executive Director of Teen Talk Ghana.

The Chairman of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), Tsonam Cleanse Akpeloo was also honoured.