By Rebecca Ekpe
“Inclusive leadership is not symbolic, it is a developmental issue,” Ghana’s Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang stated this at the Maiden Forum on Women in Government and Media at the Presidency in Accra.
The Women’s Conversation in Ghana really matters in the context of demography and democratic stakes.
Indeed, women constitute more than half of Ghana’s population, yet their visibility in decision-making spaces certainly remains low, especially in politics and corporate leadership. Emerging public conversations often exemplified by forums, policy dialogues, and media debates have almost always pointed to this fact that the role and voice of women in the national conversation cannot be on the fringes or for that matter, peripheral. Indeed, women are central to Ghana’s democratic integrity and development trajectory.
Cultural and Structural Barriers
In Ghana, it goes without a doubt that persistent socio-cultural norms and structural barriers continue on a daily basis to inhibit women’s upward mobility in political, managerial, and media sectors. Infact, despite legal frameworks like the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act, 2024, deeply rooted gendered socialisation, educational disparities, and institutional biases continue to limit women’s participation. This underscores why the conversation needs broader national engagement beyond just having a law.
The numbers as they stand show that women hold only about 14.9% of seats in Ghana’s Parliament (41 of 276 MPs).
Women Empowerment and Intersection with Broader Equity Goals
More interestingly, the women’s empowerment conversation intersects with other national imperatives, including peace-building, economic participation, and security. For example, drawing women into the peace and security architectures not only strengthens community resilience, but it also enhances Ghana’s contributions to continental agendas such as Women, Peace, and Security. Hence, the emphasis on women in leadership at this level of governance and their contribution to the women representation conversation cannot be placed on the back burner.
Political Significance
High-profile national dialogues, including the debate on Ghana’s first female president, reflect how women’s political leadership is increasingly part of mainstream public discourse. Such discussions help normalise women’s leadership aspirations and challenge assumptions about gendered political viability. Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, Deputy Chief of Staff at the Presidency, did not mince words when she made the point at a Maiden Forum on Women in Government and Media in Accra.
‘’As women, we are proud to be mentored by our distinguished Vice President, Her Excellency Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, a celebrated academic, a trailblazer, and a symbol of possibility for generations of Ghanaian girls’’, Nana Oye intimated.
The Media’s Agenda-Setting Role in Women’s Empowerment and Public Discourse
It goes without a doubt that the media holds a powerful position in shaping national narratives. In the context of women’s empowerment in Ghana, the media functions as both a platform for dialogue and a mediator of public consciousness. By covering issues such as the implementation challenges of the Affirmative Action Act, women’s representation gaps, and success stories, the media informs, educates, and influences public opinion and policy priorities. That is why arguably the state should be concerned about the media ecosystem, in other words, who is propagating what and how it fits into the over-all government re-setting agenda and nation building.
Policy Advocacy and Scrutiny
Media outlets play a watchdog role, and a responsibility of holding institutions accountable for gender equity commitments. Coverage of the government adherence to gender quotas, public debates on affirmative action, and critical analysis of gendered governance gaps all go a long way to contribute to constructive pressure for policy implementation. This is why the women’s conversation matters. This is why the media’s role in the conversations is key to achieving outcomes in governance.
Framing and Narrative Construction
Crucially, how the media frames women’s issues affects societal perceptions. Empowering narratives that highlight women’s contributions, leadership successes, and equal rights help dismantle stereotypes. On the other hand, media practices that marginalise or trivialise women’s voices risk reinforcing gender bias. Stakeholders are of the view that there should be enhanced media engagements, including calls for media alliances to strengthen democratic accountability and gender equity.
Training and Capacity Building
Quite importantly, forums like the First Annual Women in Government and Media Forum are important because it convenes media professionals into a critical and carefully crafted direct conversation with gender advocates and policymakers.
Furthermore, it also helps the journalists to understand gender-sensitive reporting and how media coverage can support the women’s empowerment agenda.
Another gain is the element of capacity Building. Forums, such as the First Annual Women in Government and Media Forum helps to build the capacity of journalists to challenge discriminatory narratives and amplify women’s issues more consistently and effectively.
Way Forward
The First Annual Forum on Women in Government and Media emerges at a pivotal moment of Ghana’s gender discourse, more importantly, a time marked by significant legal reforms, intensifying public debates, persistent representation gaps, and an evolving media engagement.
Even more so is the fact that Affirmative Action Conversations reveal both legal breakthroughs and the practical challenges of translating policy into measurable gender equity.
The benefits and impacts however of affirmative action and women’s leadership are manifold, spanning democratic quality, economic growth, and socio-cultural transformation.
The women’s conversation in Ghana matters not just for equality but as a strategic investment in national development.
More importantly, the media’s agenda-setting role is indispensable, in that it is shaping how society perceives gender, strengthening accountability, and amplifying the voices essential to a more inclusive Ghana.
Together, these elements underscore the fact that women’s empowerment is not a niche agenda, but a central pillar of democratic deepening, economic progress, and social justice in Ghana.
‘’Advancing women’s leadership is a national development imperative’’ – First Annual Forum on Women in Government and Media.
