By Celestine Avi and Seth Eyiah
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – Ghana is positioning itself at the forefront of Africa’s push for gender equality, reaffirming its commitment to empowering women and girls across the continent.
Speaking at the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, President John Mahama stressed that advancing gender parity is a shared continental responsibility and a critical driver of Africa’s development and economic transformation.
He outlined key strides made by Ghana in promoting gender equity, including the allocation of $40 million as seed capital for the proposed Women’s Development Bank to expand access to finance for women-led businesses.
The President also highlighted Ghana’s achievement of gender parity in school enrolment, ongoing efforts to strengthen institutional support systems for women, and the enactment of the Affirmative Action Gender Equity Act, which sets binding targets to increase women’s representation in leadership and decision-making.
President Mahama called on African leaders to adopt gender-responsive budgeting frameworks, fully implement the AU Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls, and accelerate financial inclusion initiatives targeting women and the youth.
The President further urged the private sector to align investment strategies with Africa’s development priorities, emphasizing that gender equality is not only a moral imperative but also a smart economic investment.
