The University of Media, Arts, and Communication (UniMAC) organized a mini conference on March 13, 2025 at its South Legon Campus, to commemorate International Women’s Day. The event, themed, “The Role of the Twenty-first Century Woman: Navigating Challenges, Embracing Opportunities, and Shaping the Future,” brought together women in faculty, non-teaching staff and students to discuss the theme.
The event was graced by personalities in the University community, including UniMAC’s Vice-Chancellor – Prof. Eric Opoku Mensah who is a passionate advocate for women equity, the Acting Registrar – Mrs. Patience Sowah, the Rector of UniMAC’s Institute of Journalism – Prof. Christiana Hammond, the Dean of Students – Dr. Mrs. Rhodalene Amartey. Directors, Senior Staff Members, Deans, and Faculty Officers from various directorates and departments were also in attendance.
Opening the mini conference, the Vice-Chancellor recognized the important role women play in society. He emphasized the fact that UniMAC has a 3:1 female/male ratio currently, and that, it was essential to celebrate the role of the 21st Century woman.
The Acting Registrar, Mrs. Patience Sowah, giving the Statement of Purpose, celebrated the immense contribution of females to the growth of UniMAC. She urged all women to continue to navigate the complexity of work-life balance in today’s work environment.
Key speakers for the conference were Ms. Obuobia Darko-Opoku, Founder of the Ignite Youth Empowerment Initiative and Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, Member of Parliament for the Korle Klottey Constituency. Both speakers shared inspiring messages on women’s empowerment.
Ms. Darko-Opoku encouraged young women to embrace self-acceptance and focus on building their capacities to achieve significant goals in the future. She urged women to make a difference in their respective fields, emphasising that change does not always require vast resources. “Do things you are comfortable with and try to brighten the corner where you are. It doesn’t take millions to make an impact,” she advised.
Dr. Zanetor Agyemang-Rawlings underscored the importance of self-belief, identifying one’s potential, and working diligently towards success. She urged women to persist despite obstacles and emphasized the need for successful women to support others. “Accelerating action for females isn’t just about reaching the top; it’s about opening doors for other women as well,” she stated.
The interactive session allowed students and staff to ask questions and propose ideas on how women can thrive in their careers and aspirations. The event concluded with a vote of thanks from the Director of Human Resources, Dr. Mrs. Eleanor Araba Antwi.
The mini conference was an initiative of the Directorate of General Administration and Consular Services. Its Director, Dr. Obaapayin Oforiwaa Adu, remarked that this mini conference aimed to highlight the vital contributions of women to national development, explore available opportunities for women, and discuss strategies to overcome challenges in their pursuit of success.
It is worthy to note that UniMAC is committed to academic excellence and nurturing the next generation of communication, arts and media professional for the 21st century. The male-to-female ratio on UniMAC’s campus stands at about 1:3, indicating the resolve to promote gender parity and equity.