Head of News at Channel One TV/Citi FM, Vivian Kai Lokko, has emphasized the need for men to actively participate in the advocacy for women’s empowerment, stating that their involvement is crucial to achieving gender equality.
Speaking at the second edition of the Inspiring Women at Kempinski Summit on Monday, March 10, 2025, she highlighted the challenges women face in corporate environments and the importance of fostering inclusivity.
The summit, held as part of Kempinski Hotel’s celebration of International Women’s Day, was themed “Accelerating Action Towards an Inclusive Society in the Corporate Space.”
During a panel discussion, she noted the extra effort women must put in to gain recognition in leadership roles.
“As a woman, when you take up a leadership role, you usually have to do a thousand times what your male counterparts are doing to prove to the world that you can do it. It is what it is,” she stated.
Kai Lokko also underscored the need to engage men in gender equality conversations, arguing that their presence in such discussions would help drive meaningful change.
“We (women) can’t do it alone, and we need the men in the room to help us fight some of the wars we encounter. That opened my eyes to the reality of the corporate industry. Most of the time, some of the resistance women face is from educated men who we think should know better.”
The summit brought together accomplished women from various industries, including Science and Technology, Media, Education, Hospitality, Beauty, and Health & Wellness, to share insights on leadership, empowerment, and inclusivity.
Dzigbodi Kwaku Dosoo, CEO of DCG Consulting Group, urged young professionals to develop resilience and essential soft skills, such as public speaking, to enhance their career growth.
The event also featured distinguished speakers, including Claudia Lumor, Founder of Glitz Africa Magazine; Afi Amoro, CEO of Jandel Ltd; Roberta Talata Maldima-Provencal, Founder of Talata Ghana; Kojo Soboh, Executive Director of EMY Africa; and the Deputy Head of Missions at the Embassy of Spain to Ghana and Togo.
Meanwhile, Melissa Bediako, Director of Sales and Marketing at Kempinski Hotel, explained that the initiative aims to inspire young individuals by exposing them to the success stories of resilient women.
“Following last year’s summit, it has now become a tradition. We can’t let International Women’s Day pass by without celebrating it in this way. It is very important for the hotel as a CSR activity where we bring together young people to have deep discussions and the opportunity to connect with successful women and young women entrepreneurs. Creating that element of inclusion and networking is very important to us,” she added.
