IBA Women’s Day 2024: Shattering glass ceilings and strengthening networks

The 8th of March 2024 marked International Women’s Day around the world. The IBA President and a team of women took the bold initiative to organize, commemorate, celebrate and dialogue with other like-minded women from all walks of life collectively and locally.

The focus topic discussed was “The Ten Directives to Break The Glass Ceiling In Our Profession” which was officially launched on International Women’s Day.

In Ghana, the 2nd Celebration of IBA Women’s Day was hosted at the premises of the current Secretary for the African Regional Forum of the IBA and Managing partner of Markin & Associates, Emma-Jean Markin.

The programme commenced at 1:00 pm at the beautifully and warmly adorned offices of Markin and Associates and welcomed women from various professions.

For the first half of the programme, Emma–Jean Markin and her Associate, Sandra Christopher Amissah, along with invited guests, joined the IBA event virtually via Zoom.

The second part of the programme dubbed “Chat by the Fireside”, featured Mrs. Deborah Mawuse Agyemfra, Deputy Director-General, Legal of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Maame Brago Yeboah, Managing Partner of Ark Legal Consult as the two keynote speakers on the topic and was moderated by Emma-Jean Markin.

The Chat involved the discussion of the ten directives outlined below;

1. Those which depend on us:
   Merits – Building of Skills and Knowledge

Growing Professional Relationships and Networks, Gaining Internal and External Visibility
Owning the Professional Space.

Maintaining a Work-Life Balance

Being Yourself

1. Those which the workplace must embrace:

Opportunity
Visibility
Flexibility
Mentoring and Sponsoring.

The keynote speakers were Mrs. Deborah Mawuse Agyemfra (Deputy Director – General Legal) and Maame Birago Yeboah (Managing Partner of Ark Legal Consult).

They discussed these directives, shared their personal experiences, recommendations and suggestions as to how to implement and live them out. The attendees also had the opportunity to ask questions and share their experiences.

At the end of the day, the feedback from the attendees was encouraging as the purpose of educating women on how to reach and break the glass ceiling in their respective professions amidst their various domestic roles as wives and mothers was achieved.

The icing on the cake was the opportunity to implement one of the directives; which is Growing Professional Relationships and Network. Attendees greatly utilized this opportunity to make new friends, build networks and build associations.