Born: 1918 (Lomé, French Togoland)
Died: 1996
Biography:
Annie Ruth Jiagge, GM (née Baëta; 7 October 1918 – 12 June 1996), also known as Annie Baëta Jiagge, was a Ghanaian lawyer, judge, and women’s rights activist. She is widely recognized as the first woman in Ghana and the Commonwealth of Nations to become a judge. Throughout her life, Jiagge played a significant role in advocating for gender equality, drafting influential declarations, and empowering women worldwide.
Born on 7 October 1918 in Lomé, French Togoland, Annie Ruth Baeta was the daughter of Henrietta Baëta, a schoolteacher, and Robert Domingo Baëta, a Presbyterian minister. She belonged to the Ewe ethnic group, which primarily resides in southeastern Ghana and Togo. Annie was part of the esteemed Baëta family and one of eight children, although she and her siblings Christian, Lily, and William were the only ones who survived into adulthood. Her older brother, Christian Baëta, made a significant impact as an academic and Presbyterian minister, and he played a crucial role in the establishment of the University of Ghana, Legon in 1948.
Raised in the coastal town of Keta, then in British Togoland, Annie’s parents aspired for her to receive an English education. She resided with her maternal grandmother and attended Achimota College, where she earned her teacher’s certificate in 1937. After completing her studies, she became the Headmistress and Schoolteacher at the Evangelical Presbyterian Girls School from 1940 to 1946.
In 1940, tragedy struck when the school building was washed away by the ocean. Determined to secure a new school for the girls, Baeta turned to the Evangelical Presbyterian Church Choir and transformed them into a drama group. They performed the George F. Rool musical David the Shepherd Boy to raise funds for new buildings. The performances were a success, and the group was invited to perform in major Gold Coast cities and in Togo. By December 1945, Baeta had managed to raise enough funds to build a new school for the girls.
Feeling fulfilled by her work at the Evangelical Presbyterian Girls School but longing for new challenges, Annie Baeta decided to pursue further studies in London. In 1945, she passed the London Matriculation Examination, and with the assistance of her brother Christian and her mother’s loans, she was admitted to the London School of Economics and Political Science in 1946. Despite facing discouragement from her male colleagues, who believed that her studies were too difficult for a woman, Baeta remained determined to succeed.
Throughout her career, Annie Jiagge championed women’s rights and social justice. Her most notable achievement was being a principal drafter of the Declaration on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women. This declaration, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1967, provided a crucial framework for combating gender-based discrimination globally. Jiagge’s commitment to women’s empowerment extended beyond her involvement with the declaration. She co-founded the organization that would later become Women’s World Banking, an institution dedicated to advancing the economic and social well-being of women globally.
Annie Jiagge’s legacy profoundly influenced Ghanaian society and women’s history. As the first female judge in Ghana, she paved the way for other women to pursue careers in law and judiciary. Her commitment to equality, justice, and women’s rights remains an inspiration to this day.