Community leaders pledge support for women in male-dominated trades

Community leaders and trade masters in the Eastern Region have pledged to help young women enter male-dominated trades and promote safer workplaces following further training under the SafeTrade Eastern initiative.

The commitments were made during follow-up training facilitated by the World University Service of Canada (WUSC) for four groups of male champions from Fanteakwa South, Abuakwa North, New Juaben North and New Juaben South.

The engagement built on earlier male ally training organised by Care for Society Network International (CfSNI), in partnership with WUSC under the EMPLOY project, to address barriers to women’s participation in technical and vocational occupations.

It brought together industry, religious, political and community leaders, including chiefs and assembly members, to examine their roles in preventing sexual and gender-based violence and supporting women’s economic advancement.

Sessions explored how stereotypes, harassment and unequal power relations could undermine female apprentices’ confidence, restrict their opportunities and discourage them from completing their training.

A Gender Clock exercise helped participants compare the daily responsibilities of women and men, drawing attention to how unpaid household work and caregiving duties could limit women’s time for skills development and paid employment.

The discussions highlighted the need for families, employers and community authorities to share responsibility for removing these obstacles.

During the engagement, Mr Duke Ofori-Atta, a Member of Parliament, pledged support to help enrol young women in male-dominated trades.

Chiefs and assembly members also committed to acting as allies to women entering these occupations, while trade masters pledged to serve as ambassadors and participate in radio discussions on workplace safety and inclusion.

These commitments seek to extend the training beyond the workshop by encouraging participants to influence attitudes within their homes, communities and places of work.

Mad. Anita Ampofoa Amoako-Gyimah, Executive Director of CfSNI, said the initiative sought to translate community support into practical opportunities for women to acquire skills and earn a living in environments that respected their dignity, safety and ambitions.

The SafeTrade Eastern initiative combines stakeholder engagement, male ally training, safeguarding education and radio advocacy to challenge harmful norms and strengthen support for women in apprenticeship and employment.

Its approach encourages men in positions of influence to speak against harassment, promote fair access to learning opportunities and respond appropriately when concerns are raised.

By: Paulina Armah/Radio1.