October, here we come: ghana to host zonta international district conference
ll flights and roads will lead to Accra, Ghana, in mid-October as the Zonta Clubs in Ghana jointly host a three-day Zonta International District 18 Conference from 16th to 18th October, 2025.
The theme for the 27th Zonta District Conference is: “Realising equality: Building for an even brighter future for women and girls in Africa”.
Zonta International District 18 countries include Ghana, Nigeria, Benin, La Cote D’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso, Togo, Senegal, Kenya, Liberia, Uganda, Rwanda, Madagascar and Congo.
Significant about Ghana’s hosting the Conference is the fact that historically, Zonta International’s first presence on the continent was in 1970 when Madam Barbara Baeta introduced the Club in Accra.
Together with some ladies, including, Mrs Frances Ademola, Mrs Rachel Phillips, Dr Christine Debrah, Mrs Ruth Adjorlolo, and Madam Emily Senalor, Zonta Club of
Accra, the premiere Club in Ghana and subsequently, in Africa, was formed.
Since then, the five Zonta Clubs in Ghana have collectively and individually touched positively, the lives of many women and girls across various communities with landmark projects stretching from education, to health, to skills training, advocacy promotion and scholarships for needy girls.
Zonta Africa at 55
Being Zonta’s 55th year in Africa and coincidentally with the current District 18 Governor, Madam Opeibea Omaboe being a Ghanaian, it makes it even more interesting for Ghana as the host for the important Conference on Zonta International’s calender.
Special guests expected at the conference will include the First Lady of Ghana, Madam Lordina Mahama, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyeman, Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, and Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey.
Also attending the conference is Zonta International President, Mrs Salla Tuominen, and individual members from 23 Zonta Clubs in Africa.
The conference theme, “Realising Equality: Building for an even brighter future for women and girls in Africa” seems very apt for an organisation that lives and breathes well-being of women and girls in all spheres.
Seeing the immense potential for greater development and advancement of women and girls in our continent through education, there is the need for a collective push to get the various governments and decision makers to make girls’ education a focused priority.
That way, the advancement of developments in communities multiplies faster.
One of the notable objectives of Zonta international has always been to improve the legal, political, economic, education, health and professional status of women and girls.
For this reason, education has been core in the advocacies, activities and projects of every Zonta Club globally.
STEM education
The truth is, in today’s world of fast technological advancement, focus on education is shifting to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics(STEM).even though in Africa, governments invariably, are beginning to place emphasis on STEM education at the basic levels of education.
Demystifying the STEM subjects with much more sensitisation and advocacy work has fallen on the good ears of Zonta International working hard to get many more girls and women to pursue the subjects.
With women and girls in aviation, medicine, engineering, information technology and the like, it is becoming emphatic that the days of STEM subjects being the exclusive preserve of boys are far gone.
Zonta International has the avowed commitment to change the narrative even better.
It is worth noting that already, many of the individual Zonta Clubs in District.18 and the rest of Africa, have included STEM education in their Club projects with conscious efforts to partner other organisations with resources to support STEM education in the deprived communities the Clubs find themselves.
As a lead global organisation of professionals, Zonta International’s support for STEM education is grounded firmly in its direction to empower women and girls, wherever they are.
The idea is to help build a better world for women and girls in today’s fast challenging and advanced environments.
One would be right in saying that in some African countries, women form the majority of the population and yet tend to be marginalised when it comes to national planning and priorities.
Sadly, the belief that families, communities, nations and perhaps the world stand greater chances of accelerated development where women are given necessary focus is not well appreciated.
It is at conferences or meetings of like minds during such groupings as the up-coming Zonta International District Conference to be held in Accra that meaningful discussions on developmental issues for women and girls are passionately discussed and recommended, where needs be.
It is worth noting that as part of the agenda for the Conference, Zonta District 18, with its commitment to progressing STEM education in Africa and West Africa in particular, will launch the District’s STEM Award at the Accra International Conference Centre.
That is something to look forward to and monitor what the various countries in the district would be up to as far as STEM education in their respective countries is concerned.
No doubt at the end of the three days, Zonta International District 18 would agree which way next for girls’ education, especially in STEM and how it would progress women and girls’ advancement in Africa.
In the meantime, let us welcome Zontians from District 18 and beyond to Accra with our Akwaaba “magic” and wish them happy stay.
Writer’s email: vickywirekoandoh@yahoo.com
