Former Second Lady and veteran librarian, Matilda Amissah-Arthur, has called on Ghanaians to view gender equality and literacy not merely as social goals, but as “national survival strategies.”
Speaking as the Special Guest of Honor at the International Women’s Day (IWD) commemoration hosted by the Ghana Library Authority (GhLA), Matilda addressed a diverse audience of traditional leaders, students, educators, and development partners.
Aligning her remarks with the international IWD theme, Give To Gain, the former second lady redefined the concept of generosity as a tool for systemic change.
”Give To Gain is a call for action where giving is not a subtraction; it is an intentional multiplication,” she stated. “Whether through knowledge, mentoring, or resources, giving offers a woman the chance to discover her full potential and advance.”
She emphasized that empowering women creates a “ripple effect” across the nation because women, as primary caregivers, instinctively pass knowledge to their children.
Literacy as an Engine of Change
A librarian by profession, Matilda Amissah-Arthur spoke passionately about the transformative power of access to information. She challenged the Ghana Library Authority to evolve beyond being “just a room full of books” and to become an “engine of change” by creating gender-inclusive safe spaces and incorporating digital and mobile literacy.
”A library card may look very small, but it can unlock very big dreams,” she remarked. “Sometimes all a young girl or boy needs is one book, one opportunity, or one person who believes in them.”
Addressing the Gender Literacy Gap
Despite the progress celebrated on IWD, the former Second Lady highlighted sobering statistics regarding Ghana’s educational landscape. She noted that approximately 4.6 million women in Ghana remain unable to read and write with understanding, compared to 3.3 million men.
She also drew attention to regional disparities, noting that while literacy in the Greater Accra Region reaches nearly 88%, it drops to a staggering 32.8% in regions like Savannah. To bridge this gap, she cited the words of Dr. Kwegyir Aggrey;
”If you educate a man, you educate an individual. But if you educate a woman, you educate a family or a nation.”
Honoring Pioneers and Challenging the Youth
The event served as a platform to honor women who have transformed Ghana’s literacy landscape. Amissah-Arthur paid homage to pioneers such as Juliana Saki, the late and various female authors and academics who “raised the literacy bar.”
She reflected on her own journey, noting that when she was elected President of the Ghana Library Association in 1996, the field was heavily male-dominated. “It was a daunting experience, but I rose to the occasion,” she said, encouraging young girls to pursue STEM, ICT, and other traditionally male-dominated fields.
A Call to Partnership
Closing her address, Matilda Amissah-Arthur reached out to the men in attendance, asserting that gender equality is a development issue rather than a “woman’s issue.”
”Equality is not a favor; it is a smart investment,” she repeated. “When we uplift a woman, we stabilize and advance an entire community.”
She concluded by urging the nation to move beyond dialogue toward measurable action, ensuring that no Ghanaian woman or girl is left behind in the pursuit of knowledge and leadership.
