“Women have always been the bedrock of any society, be it here in Africa or all across the world,” Prudential Life Insurance Ghana said in statement copied to the Ghanaian Times in Accra yesterday to mark the International Women’s Day.

It said women had been central to the story of Ghana, adding, “From funding political parties to handing down values and food recipes, the list of contributions is endless”.

It said Prudential Life Insur­ance Ghana recognised the role that women play and that was the reason the company consistently worked to create an environment

 where women could thrive and meaningfully contribute their quota to the development of the country.

“Our own leadership team is composed of 71 per cent female, led by the able hands of Dr Hazel Berrard Amuah, the Chief Execu­tive Officer, who steers the affairs of one of the leading insurance companies in Ghana,” the state­ment said.

It said the two main income generation channels of the company – the commercial and distribution function – were led by women, who had risen through the ranks to the top.

The statement said over the years, Prudential Life had carefully innovated products that protected vulnerable people – women and their children – in the event of misfortune.

“We have had, and still have collaborations that target women. For instance, in 2014, together with Plan International, we spon­sored the secondary education of 500 female students, giving them an opportunity to further their education,” the statement said.

The statement said Prudential Life had continued to collaborate with the United Nations Popula­tion Fund Ghana to reach head porters (kayayei) and provide them with training on reproduc­tive health, personal hygiene and monetisable skills to improve and maintain their quality of life.

“This year and in the years ahead, we pledge to continue embracing equity by providing the framework of inclusivity and support for women of different backgrounds,” the statement said.