Mary Chinery-Hesse is the current Chancellor of the University of Ghana. She assumed this position on August 1, 2018, making her the first woman to serve in this role. In August 2023, she was reappointed by the University of Ghana Governing Council to serve a second five-year term in office as Chancellor.
Biography
Born on October 29, 1938, Mary Chinery-Hesse has had a distinguished career in both Ghana’s Civil Service and at the United Nations. She holds a BA (Hons) in Sociology and Economics and a Doctor of Laws (honoris causa) from the University of Ghana. She also did postgraduate training in Development Economics at Trinity College Dublin.
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In her early career, she served as a principal secretary at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and secretary of the National Economic Planning Council. She joined the UN in 1981, where she held the appointment of the first African woman Resident Coordinator of the United Nations System and Resident Representative of UNDP to many countries, including Sierra Leone, Tanzania, the Seychelles, and Uganda.
She was also the first female Deputy Director-General of the International Labour Organization and served as an advisor to John Kufour, the former President of Ghana.
Throughout her career, Mary Chinery-Hesse has been an important voice on economic development issues, a defender of human rights, particularly women’s rights, and an advocate for African imperatives, conflict resolution, and mediation.
Facts about Mary Chinery-Hesse
Certainly, here are the key facts about Mary Chinery-Hesse:
- She broke new ground by becoming the first woman to take on the role of Chancellor at the University of Ghana, starting from August 1, 2018.
- She was the inaugural female Deputy Director-General of the International Labour Organization.
- She has been a significant contributor to discussions on economic development, a champion of human rights, especially those of women, and a proponent for African priorities, conflict resolution, and mediation.
- She earned a BA (Hons) in Sociology and Economics and a Doctor of Laws (honoris causa) from the University of Ghana, and pursued postgraduate studies in Development Economics at Trinity College Dublin.
- Early in her career, she held the positions of principal secretary at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and secretary of the National Economic Planning Council.
- She joined the UN in 1981 and became the first African woman to serve as the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations System and Resident Representative of UNDP in several countries, including Sierra Leone, Tanzania, the Seychelles, and Uganda.
- She provided advisory services to John Kufour, the former President of Ghana.
