The Women Association of the University of Professional Studies, Accra (WAUPSA), has commemorated its second anniversary with a symposium on the theme “working together to promote organisational citizenship”.
The symposium, which was held on Wednesday, November 1, at the LBC Auditorium, brought together female faculty, staff, and students of the university, as well as invited guests from various sectors.
The occasion featured presentations from experts and practitioners on topics such as the benefits and challenges of organisational citizenship, work-life balance, mental health and wellbeing, as well as mentorship and leadership.
Participants at the forum also discussed and shared ideas while highlighting and addressing challenges facing professional women and female students.
Some of these challenges include discrimination against women, workplace politics, and a low appetite for leadership roles due to stereotyping.
President of WAUPSA, Prof. Fidelis Quansah, said that women have the potential to lead if they are inspired, nurtured, and provided with opportunities.
She said WAUPSA has developed a mentorship programme aimed at helping and empowering female students to reach their full potential.
“This innovative programme offers an exciting opportunity for female students to be mentored by a senior member of staff,” Prof. Quansah disclosed.
“The aim of the women’s association is to increase the pool of females who are contributing to the governance and leadership of the university and have a ripple effect on the role women play in the sustainable development of mother Ghana.”
The Ag. Director of the UPSA Medical Directorate, Dr. Isaac Newman Arthur, stressed the importance of maintaining and improving the mental health and wellbeing of women.
Dr Arthur noted that women face unique challenges and risks to their mental health, such as gender-based violence, discrimination, hormonal changes, and caregiving responsibilities.
Hence, it is imperative for them to seek professional help when the need arises.
Other speakers at the symposium included Mrs. Jane Ohenewaa Gyekye, General Manager for HR & Administration, Tema Oil Refinery; Ms. Theresa Barnes, lecturer at the College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, and Mrs. Augustina Atkinson Dadebo, a counsellor at the UPSA Counselling Unit.
They commended WAUPSA for organising the symposium while congratulating them for their achievements and contributions to the UPSA community over the past two years.
They urged the association to continue to pursue its vision and mission of empowering and supporting women to reach their full potential.
WAUPSA is an all-women campus-based group that seeks to empower and promote the interests of women in UPSA.
The group offers mentorship, training, and support, as well as extending emotional and psychological support to women.
The second anniversary symposium was organised in collaboration with the UPSA Medical Directorate and the SRC Women’s Commission.
