By Christabel DANSO ABEAM
President John Mahama in his first State of the Nation Address has assured Ghanaians of eradicating all forms of discrimination against any gender in the country.
He indicated that his government is committed to promoting a fair and inclusive environment where every individual can engage fully and equally in social, economic and political life.
To achieve this, the president plans to work with his Vice President, Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang and other stakeholders including development partners and civil society organisations to promote gender equity and social justice.
He added that strong social protection mechanisms and enhanced legal safeguards for women, girls and other vulnerable groups will be established.
“Our initiative will include enacting comprehensive laws and policies designed to dismantle harmful social norms, enhance access to crucial resources and opportunities – particularly for young women – and reduce overall vulnerability within our society,” he stressed.
On the implementation of laws to achieve gender equity across the political, social, economic, educational and cultural spheres, he said his government is dedicated to successfully implementing the Affirmative Action Act of 2024 (Act 11210).
The Affirmative Action Act, 2024 is a landmark in Ghana passed by parliament in July 2024 and signed into law in September, 2024 with the aim of promoting gender equity and empowering women by addressing systemic barriers that have a hindered them in Ghanaian society.
He further indicated that the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection is actively collaborating with all important stakeholders to ensure the Act is fully functional, including achieving the 30 percent target quota for women in political appointments.
He expressed commitment by saying: “I am pleased to report that women currently make up 23.21 percent of all appointments and we are diligently working toward reaching the target set forth in Act 1121”.
Reiterating to his commitment to establishing gender equity in the country, President Mahama indicated that his government will set up a Women’s Development Bank – a specialised financial institution designed to support businesses owned and led by women through low-interest loans and tailored financial services offered under flexible terms; and added that the Minister of Finance will locate initial funding for the Women’s Development Bank in the upcoming budget presentation as part of a 120-day social contract.
He further noted his intention of achieving gender balance at the local government level and encouraged women to be bold and apply for the position of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executive.
