Speakers

H.E Hajia Samira Bawumia is the Second Lady of the Republic of Ghana. A passionate advocate for women’s rights, women’s health, child-education and gender parity, she works tirelessly through the Samira Empowerment and Humanitarian Projects (SEHP) as founder and CEO, to provide critical interventions in these areas. As part of her ‘Get Ghana Reading’ campaign, 17 basic schools across three regions in Ghana have been re-stocked with books so far, with the aim of inspiring a reading culture in children and making Ghana a literary powerhouse. She has also led efforts to equip selected rural hospitals and clinics with a range of essential medical supplies and equipment for the efficient running of the institutions. With child and maternal mortality of keen interest to the Second Lady, she has initiated a Safe Delivery Project which provides expectant women in their third trimester in rural areas with customized kits that contain tools and supplies necessary for safe and infection-free deliveries to reduce mortality rates. Mrs. Bawumia has represented Ghana and the African continent at various conferences and summits on tackling human trafficking, family planning and women’s rights. She was recently made an Ambassador for the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves which promotes the adoption of clean cooking solutions across the world in a bid to create cleaner environments and eradicate deaths caused by pollution from the burning of solid fuels for cooking. An avid reader and a creative arts enthusiast, H. E. supports the arts industry and encourages the youth to pursue their dreams across interest areas bolstered by education. She is intent on contributing significantly to the success story of Ghana by leveraging her position of influence to empower women, children and the youth. Samira holds a Bachelor of Arts (Social Science) degree from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and an MBA from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration. She is married to H.E. Dr. Alhaji Mahamadu Bawumia, the Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, with whom she has four children.

Hon. Harriette Chiggai is a luminary in the realm of women's rights, serving in the Office of the Women Rights Advisor to the President. She has been instrumental in formulating policies that advocate for gender equity and has a robust track record of advancing women’s rights in leadership across sectors. As the President's Advisor, she champions for economic empowerment by improving access to finances and business opportunities for women. She is a strong voice against gender-based violence, urging for better legal and social responses. Chiggai advocates for policies that increase women's participation in government and the economy, making her a key figure in advancing gender equality in Kenya.

<p class="text-justify">His Excellency Mr. Damptey Bediako Asare is the High Commissioner of the Republic of Ghana to Kenya with concurrent accreditation to Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania. He formally assumed duty on 1st September 2021 following presentation of his Letters of Credence to H.E President Uhuru Kenyatta. He is also the Permanent Representative of Ghana to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya.</p> <p class="text-justify">Ambassador Damptey Asare is a career Diplomat with over twenty-four years experience in the Ghana Foreign Service. He has served at Ghana Missions in Moscow, London, New York and Addis Ababa. While serving in New York, he was a negotiator for the Group of 77 & China on a number of Resolutions from 2007 to 2010. H.E Mr. Asare also represented the Ghana Permanent Mission in New York on the United Nations Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on the United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF) and the United Nations Population Award Committee.</p> <p class="text-justify">In September 2020, he was commissioned as Ambassador and posted to Ethiopia as the Deputy Permanent Representative to the African Union and Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of Ghana in Addis Ababa.</p> <p class="text-justify">Prior to his current appointment to Kenya, he was Director of Policy Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Ghana. He has also served in a number of Bureaux in different capacities in the Foreign Ministry of Ghana.</p> <p class="text-justify">The High Commissioner obtained a Certificate in Strategic Decision-Making for Management from the London School of Economics and Political Science in the United Kingdom and a Masters Degree in International Affairs from the University of Ghana, Legon.</p> <p class="text-justify">He is married with two children.</p>