The one-day seminar held at the Criminal Division of the Court of Appeal was under the theme “Looking beyond the Present, Creating Visionary Young Women”. Its primary objective was to empower the young women from selected markets in the Greater Accra Region with practical lessons on purposeful living, with topics and insights centering on vision, discipline, integrity, building confidence and hard work.
Delivering brief remarks, the Acting Chief Justice, His Lordship Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie implored participants to commit to hardwork instead of a “get-rich quick” mindset, in order to succeed.
Ag. Chief Justice, His Lordship Paul Baffoe-Bonnie
“The fast-paced world we are all experiencing has found its way into the moral fabric of this society where young persons do not want to invest their time and energies into going through the rudiments of life, but rather to “make it quick”. If we had the opportunity to allow each Member of the Supreme Court Bench speak to you, our young women will recognize that each one of them got here through vision, hardwork, and a sheer will to overcome numerous obstacles. I also came from a very humble background and have had to rise through hardwork”, he said.
Justice Baffoe-Bonnie also reiterated the significance of female empowerment and its vital role in national development, stating it as a foundation of the Judiciary’s interest in equipping the next generation.
“Women have the capacity and capability to turn things around and to make impact beyond the imaginable and you, our Orange Girls have the greater opportunity to become better because you have the gift of mentors. Our duties as Judges extend beyond the court where we exercise our constitutional mandates, but as older members of society, who must ensure equity, equality and advancement for the youth”, he said.
The Acting Chief Justice further expressed his profound appreciation to UNFPA Ghana for its continuous support for the Mentoring Programme over the years.
H/L Justice Olivia Anku-Tsede making some remarks
For her part, a Justice of the Court of Appeal and Chairperson of the Planning Committee for the Annual Chief Justice’s Mentoring Programme, Her Ladyship Justice Olivia Anku Tsede, encouraged the young women to aspire to leadership and pursue personal development guided by principles of discipline and integrity.
Ms. Sandra Thompson interacts with the Girls
The Secretary to the Bank of Ghana, Ms. Sandra Thompson, took time to share her career journey with participants, spotlighting discipline as a key foundation for success.
Mr. Faisal Bawa, National Programme Analyst for Gender and Gender-Based Violence at UNFPA, Ghana indicated continuous support for the programme because of its focus to uplift marginalized and disadvantaged girls.
Mr. Faisal Bawa, UNFPA Ghana
As female head porters, the ‘Orange Girls” are young women who have completed junior or senior high school and are mostly migrant girls from the northern part of the country. The Annual Chief Justice’s Mentoring Programme thus provides a platform for these girls to interact with other in-school children and members of the Bar and Bench, to possible change their paradigm regarding girls education and empowerment.
An Orange Girl making a submission
A key success of the Programme has been the provision of financial support to two girls to peruse tertiary education by some Judges who serve as mentors, as well as the establishment of Justice Clubs in selected senior high schools.