The Industrial and Commercial Workers’ Union (ICU-Ghana) has successfully held its 6th National Quadrennial Delegates’ Conference of the Women’s Wing.

The event, held at the Tema Industrial Recreational Area on Tuesday, 22nd July 2025, brought together regional delegates, trade union leaders, and stakeholders in labour to assess progress, renew leadership, and recommit to the struggle for justice and equality in the world of work.

Delivering the keynote address, ICU-Ghana’s General Secretary, Brother Morgan Ayawine, called for a sustained national effort to eliminate gender-based discrimination at the workplace and ensure full respect for the principle of equal pay for equal work.

“It is disheartening to acknowledge that, even today, women face discrimination in employment,” he said. “A persistent misconception suggests that women may not be reliable in the long term due to maternity and family responsibilities, an assumption that unjustly undermines women’s capabilities and contributions.”

He cited Section 68 of Ghana’s Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651), which guarantees equal remuneration, and urged employers to fully align their practices with both national and international standards. “When we speak of gender equality, we speak of equal rights, equal opportunities, and equal treatment, regardless of gender,” he added.

Brother Ayawine also seized the occasion to rally support for the full ratification of the Affirmative Action Bill recently passed by Parliament, describing it as a transformative instrument that could significantly uplift women in governance, business, and civil society.

In his welcome address, Brother Alfred Lamptey, Tema Regional Officer of ICU-Ghana, lauded the current national leadership of the Union for consistently prioritising women’s empowerment, inclusivity, and capacity-building. “This Conference is not only a statutory gathering,” he said.

"But more importantly, a strategic forum to take decisive action against divisiveness and for unity, which is integral to the growth and development of our great Union,” he added.

He credited General Secretary Ayawine for deliberately mentoring women to assume leadership roles both within the Union and in their professional environments, adding that the Tema Region was proud to host this high-level event.

“Let us engage with open minds, uphold the principles of solidarity, and leave this Conference more empowered than we came,” he said.

Presenting the report on the activities of the Women’s Desk over the past four years, Mrs Esinam Afua Poku, Head of ICU-Ghana’s Youth and Gender Desk, reflected on key achievements, especially in building leadership capacity, advocating for women’s rights, and amplifying the voices of female members across all sectors.

“This report highlights our collective strides and the growing strength of women in every region,” she said. “The journey has not been without challenges, but our commitment to ensuring women’s voices are heard and their contributions valued has never wavered.”

Mrs Poku encouraged delegates to stay the course and continue to push for structural reforms that allow for increased women’s participation in union decision-making and national policy spaces. “We must not tire,” she urged. “The future of work must be fair, inclusive, and empowering for all.”

The one-day conference also provided a platform to elect new leaders to steer the affairs of the Women’s Wing for the next four years, ahead of the Union’s 12th National Delegates’ Conference.