By Kodjo Adams
Accra, March 9, GNA – Mrs Esinam Poku, Head of Gender and Youth Desk, Industrial and Commercial Workers’ Union (ICU) of Ghana has called for policies that promote equality, dignity, and fairness in the workplace.
She urged all unions and civil society organizations to continue to advocate strongly for the rights and welfare of women in the workplace to ensure industry harmony.
Mrs Poku said this at a forum to mark this year’s International Women’s Day in Accra on the theme “Rights, Justice, and Action for All Women.”
The theme, she said, reminded all and sundry that achieving gender equality required more than words—it required commitment, fairness, and concrete action.
Women, she stressed, played a vital role in the economy and in the labour movement, yet many still face barriers that limit their full participation and advancement.
She said an area that required urgent attention was the issue of menstruation, maternity, and menopause, which were often overlooked in workplace policies and discussions.
“Menstruation should not be a source of stigma or discomfort at work, and workplaces must provide supportive environments and adequate facilities,” she said.
She said maternity protection was essential to ensure that women could safely balance work and motherhood without discrimination or job insecurity.
Menopause, which affected many experienced women in the workforce, also required understanding, support, and policies that promote dignity and well-being at work.
She urged all to ensure that workplaces were inclusive, supportive, and responsive to the realities women face.
Addressing these issues is not simply a women’s issue—it is a workplace justice issue and a trade union issue, she said.
“Let us use this day not only to celebrate the achievements of women but also to renew our commitment to advocating for policies and practices that promote gender equality,” she said.
Mr Morgan Ayawine, the General Secretary of ICU-Ghana, said the theme was relevant within the current socio-economic and geopolitical landscape across the world.
He said society had accepted the subservient roles imposed on women and girls in homes, businesses, academia, and industry as the “norm.”
“This perception continues to undervalue the contributions of women and girls across various fields of endeavor and often relegates them to playing second fiddle in the global structure of affairs—economically, politically, academically, technologically, and scientifically,” he said.
GNA
Kenneth Odeng Adade