THE General Secretary of the Industrial and Commercial Workers’ Union (ICU), Morgan Ayawine, has urged women and girls to assert their rights and take deliberate action to claim their rightful place in society.
He emphasised that women’s contributions had often been undervalued across homes, businesses, academia, and industry, and that meaningful progress for women was long overdue.
The remarks were made during the ICU’s commemoration of International Women’s Day 2026 on Sunday in Accra.
Mr Ayawine described the day as a powerful reminder of the relevance, resilience, and indispensability of women in the modern world. He noted that rapid technological and economic changes had frequently sidelined women and girls, leaving them at a disadvantage in many areas of life.
“Women are like blankets. If they are by your side, you feel the warmth; if they are not, you feel the cold,” he said, underscoring the essential role women played in roles in multiple sectors.
He encouraged women to take bold and deliberate steps to stand shoulder to shoulder with men in business, technology, science, and society. On the theme of the day, ‘Rights, Justice, Action: For All Women and Girls,’ he stressed that while some progress had been made, fundamental rights were still denied to many women and girls, who continued to face subservient roles in multiple fields, adding,
“When this happens, justice will inevitably come knocking at their door.”
Also addressing the gathering, Head of the Gender and Youth Desk of the ICU, Mrs Esinam Poku, highlighted the importance of translating words into action to achieve gender equality. She said trade unionists must continue to advocate strongly for the rights and welfare of women in the workplace, noting that women still face barriers limiting their full participation and advancement.
She drew attention to the key 3Ms in the workplace — Menstruation, Maternity, and Menopause — urging unions and employers to ensure workplaces are supportive and inclusive. She stressed that menstruation should not be a source of stigma, maternity protection must allow women to balance work and motherhood safely, and menopause policies should promote dignity and well-being for experienced female workers.
She said addressing these issues was not simply a women’s issue, but a matter of workplace justice.
“If we are truly committed to rights, justice, and action for all women, then we must ensure that our workplaces are inclusive, supportive, and responsive to the realities women face,” she said.
BY STEPHANIE BIRIKORANG
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