Ghana’s Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, has pledged Ghana’s continued commitment to advancing women’s rights and empowerment.
She made the statement at the UN High-Level Meeting marking 30 years since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.
Dr. Lartey said the Beijing Declaration, adopted in 1995, was a bold vision that recognized the advancement of women and girls as key to peace, justice, and sustainable development.
She added that while much progress had been made, the journey to full equality was still not complete.
She explained that the commemoration was of special importance to Ghana as it coincided with the 50th anniversary of the country’s national machinery for women.
She also highlighted that Ghana made history in January this year when its first female vice president was sworn into office, describing it as a breakthrough that showed the country’s determination to give women’s voices space in governance.
According to the minister, Ghana has strengthened its legal and policy framework by passing the Affirmative Action Act in 2024 and adopting a new gender policy to guide actions from 2025 to 2035.
She added that protection systems had been reinforced through the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit of the Ghana Police Service.
She pointed to Ghana’s focus on economic empowerment through programs such as the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP), the School Feeding Program, and the Microfinance and Small Loan Centers (MASLOC).
Plans, she said, were underway to establish a Women’s Development Bank to expand financial inclusion and provide affordable credit, especially for women in underserved areas.
Dr. Lartey stressed that the Beijing Declaration was not just a promise written on paper but a call to action.
She urged the international community to recommit to removing barriers and giving women and girls equal opportunities.
She affirmed Ghana’s commitment to a future where no woman or girl is left behind.
By: Jacob Aggrey
