Accra: Madam Josephine Oppong-Yeboah, a gender advocate, has commended President John Dramani Mahama for urging global leaders to prioritise the protection and empowerment of women and girls. She expressed her appreciation for the President’s address to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York last week, highlighting the significance of his call to action.

According to Ghana News Agency, Madam Oppong-Yeboah emphasized the importance of an African leader advocating for women’s and girls’ rights on a global stage. She noted that leaders, particularly in Africa, often overlook women’s rights when it comes to leadership positions. She lauded President Mahama for emphasizing the urgency of gender equality and called it essential for true development.

Madam Oppong-Yeboah reflected on the President’s vision of a world that ensures safety and equality for women and girls, expressing hope for the future for her own daughter and others. She reiterated the need to empower everyone, including women and girls, to achieve their full potential, pointing out the inspiration Ghanaian girls could draw from Mahama’s words.

She further praised President Mahama for proposing to the United Nations the appointment of its first female Secretary-General. She stressed the significance of representation, stating that ‘words matter, but issues of representation matter even more.’ Highlighting Ghana’s progress, Madam Oppong-Yeboah mentioned the recent appointment of the country’s first female vice president as a milestone that would inspire young girls to aspire to leadership roles.

Madam Oppong-Yeboah described President Mahama’s remarks as motivating, reinforcing the importance of building a just and inclusive world for women and girls.