Project to strengthen women’s participation in local governance launched
The Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to increasing women’s representation in governance.
She stated that the ongoing constitutional review processes could further enhance opportunities for women at both parliamentary and local government levels.
She made this known in Accra yesterday at the launch of a project titled “Strengthening Women’s Capacities for Effective Participation and Representation in Ghana’s Local Governance System,” which is being implemented by ABANTU for Development with support from Plan International Ghana.
The project, she explained, is aimed at increasing the participation of women, including young women and women with disabilities, in decision-making processes within Ghana’s local governance system ahead of the 2027 District Assembly elections.
According to her, the initiative would also support advocacy for the implementation of the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act, 2024 (Act 1121), while equipping prospective female aspirants with leadership and governance skills and promoting public awareness on gender equality.
Dr Lartey reportedly described the initiative as timely, noting that women remained underrepresented in local governance structures despite their significant contributions to national development.
She indicated that the project would help identify, nurture and prepare a new generation of women leaders to actively participate in local governance and community development.
She further stated that the initiative was not merely about preparing women to contest elections, but about investing in a future where leadership would be more inclusive, representative and responsive to the needs and aspirations of citizens.
The minister also noted that the project aligned with national efforts to implement the Affirmative Action Act, which seeks to improve gender balance in decision-making positions across both the public and private sectors.
She explained that the Act sets targets of achieving at least 30 per cent representation of women in decision-making positions between 2024 and 2026, 35 per cent between 2027 and 2028, and 50 per cent by 2034.
Dr Lartey added that the ministry had established a Gender Equity Committee to oversee the implementation of the law and had submitted the Legislative Instrument required to operationalise the Act to Parliament.
Moreover, she underlined that nationwide stakeholder sensitisation programmes had been rolled out to build awareness and secure support for the law’s implementation.
The Director of ABANTU for Development, Dr Rose Mensah-Kutin, was also reported to have said that the project was designed to address barriers that continue to limit women’s participation in local governance.
She elaborated that special attention would be given to young women and women with disabilities to ensure that governance structures reflected the diversity of society.
Dr Mensah-Kutin reportedly stressed that increasing women’s representation in local governance was essential for inclusive development and effective decision-making.
The launch brought together representatives from government institutions, district assemblies, civil society organisations, women’s rights groups, development partners, persons with disabilities, young women leaders, traditional authorities and the media.
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