The Chief Executive Officer of Glory Gate Capital Limited, Mrs. Francisca Nyamekye Karikari, has advised women not to fall for the social pressure of marriage and child birth.

She said getting married and having children should not be the only ambition of women and that a woman was still “complete whether she is married or not.”

Speaking at the second edition of the Women Connect Conference (WCC) in Accra last Saturday, she charged women to remain ambitious and committed to goals in all aspects of life.

The forum themed: “Women on the Go: Staying Mentally Healthy as You Juggle Everyday,” sought to build the capacity of women and broaden the conversation on mental health.

Mrs. Karikari, speaking on the subject: “The realities about being a woman with ambition and its related mental health challenges,” she noted that failure was eminent in the bid to attain excellence but that should not be an excuse for aiming higher.

“Don’t evaluate yourself based on the achievement of others, you are unique. You just need to define your success parameters and stay focused. Work hard even if you are not appreciated. Even if nobody sees it, you are building your own skills,” she said.

Highlighting the need to avoid procrastination, she said women aiming to thrive in male domination professions must be flexible while believing their own abilities.

“Surround yourself with ambitious people who would tell you things that would build you up. Don’t present yourself as a superwoman because you are not, find help when you need it,” she added.

Mrs. Abena Biney, Audit Partner and Consumer Business Leader, Deloitte Ghana also speaking on joggling workload with personal life, emphasised the need to prioritise tasks, set personal boundaries, and build support groups at work.

“When you continue to put yourself under unnecessary pressure that is when you begin to build stress and anxiety,” she said.

Ms. Emiley Mensah, Project Head, WCC, said the forum was to educate women on the need for self-care as they went about daily routines which were likely to affect their mental and physical well-being.

“Society has created an expectation for women and the challenge is that women often do this at the expense of their mental health. That, however, does not mean you should go through your struggles silently,” she said.

The forum brought together hundreds of women from diverse backgrounds, including the Canadian High Commissioner to Ghana, Kati Csaba, and Ambassador Nancy Quartey Sam, Chief Executive Officer of Staple Travel and Tour, who was honoured with a citation.

By Ernest Nutsugah