By: Angela Adu-Asomaning and Alberta Dwirah
The Network for Women’s Rights in Ghana (NETRIGHT) is urging government to adopt stronger gender-responsive fiscal policies, insisting that Ghana’s national budget must intentionally tackle inequalities affecting women, girls, and marginalized groups.
According to the organization, although the national budget remains one of government’s most important tools for economic growth, resource allocation, revenue generation and economic expansion alone cannot deliver equitable development without deliberate gender-focused interventions.
In a statement signed by Executive Director Patricia Blankson Akakpo, NETRIGHT says its Gender Analysis of Ghana’s 2026 National Budget uncovered major gaps in how the budget responds to the lived realities and economic needs of women.
The organization noted that despite government’s commitment to inclusive development, the 2026 budget fails to systematically integrate gender-responsive measures across key sectors and fiscal priorities. It warned that without deliberate gender integration, economic and budgetary policies could deepen existing inequalities and continue to exclude vulnerable groups from the benefits of national development.
NETRIGHT explained that the analysis forms part of its broader feminist economic justice agenda, with a focus on three priority areas, agriculture, taxation, and the care economy- due to their direct impact on women’s economic empowerment and wellbeing.
On agriculture, the organization highlighted persistent structural inequalities that continue to limit women’s participation and productivity. While women play a major role in food production and household livelihoods, many still struggle with limited access to land, affordable financing, mechanization, extension services, markets, and other productive resources.
NETRIGHT also expressed concern over the absence of clear gender-responsive and gender-disaggregated targets within fiscal objectives, revenue policies, and major growth sectors such as agriculture, infrastructure, and digitalization.
The organization further observed that although the budget makes some investments in care-related sectors, the interventions remain underfunded, poorly coordinated, and inadequately targeted to significantly promote gender equity or transform Ghana’s care economy.
As a result, NETRIGHT is calling on government to implement a number of policy measures across its priority sectors.
In the agricultural sector, the organization is advocating stronger collaboration between the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Ministry of Trade and Industry, and Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection to provide comprehensive support for women farmers and agribusinesses.
It also urged government to strengthen gender-responsive agricultural initiatives aimed at improving women’s access to land, farm inputs, mechanization, and financing, especially for young women and underserved communities.
NETRIGHT additionally called for continuous stakeholder engagement and effective monitoring of the Feed Ghana Programme Secretariat.
On taxation, the organization wants government to prioritize proposed review of key tax laws, including the Income Tax Act, Customs Act, and Excise Duty Act.
The group further stressed that government’s fiscal objectives must explicitly address the needs and realities of women and other vulnerable groups.
Regarding the care economy, NETRIGHT advocated increased investment in care services and infrastructure, alongside a shift from conventional social protection systems to more care-responsive approaches.
It also called for the development of a National Care Policy and Strategy backed by a coordinated implementation framework, as well as the introduction of care economy budget tagging and tracking systems to improve accountability and resource allocation.
NETRIGHT further emphasized the need for stronger investment in gender-disaggregated data systems to support gender-responsive budgeting. The organization also called for the professionalization and expansion of the care workforce to promote decent work opportunities and sustainable livelihoods within the care economy.
