Canada places gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls firmly at the centre of its international assistance, and is proud to work with the government of Ghana and other stakeholders to advance these objectives in Ghana.
To this end, Canada has announced GHS 138 million (CAD 30 million) in funding to four innovative projects that will enhance women’s economic empowerment, well-being and inclusive economic growth in Ghana.
These projects will directly benefit 31,000 women from specific urban, peri-urban, and rural areas in eight regions of Ghana, and will be implemented by Alinea, Oxfam Québec, Plan International Canada, and World University Service Canada.
The announcement was made by Canadian High Commissioner Kati Csaba at a launch event hosted by the High Commission of Canada in Accra.
After the official launch, Ms. Shamima Muslim, Founder and Convener of Alliance of Women in Media Africa, moderated a rich exchange on business development and access to finance, during which female entrepreneurs and project stakeholders shared promising practices, lessons learnt and successes.
Each of the funded projects is designed to meet the economic empowerment needs of women living in poverty.
The Alinea and World University Service of Canada projects focus on increasing access to productive, secure and equitable employment opportunities for women through the design and delivery of skills training in trades not traditionally pursued by women, such as mechanics, electronics and construction.
The Oxfam Québec and Plan International Canada projects, on the other hand, focus on increasing the productivity, profitability and innovation of women-owned businesses. All four projects will deploy new approaches and business models designed specifically to support women in the creation and growth of their businesses, including agribusinesses.
The projects will also promote strategies that will empower women to increase their control over capital, land and productive resources, particularly in the soybean, cocoa and shea sectors.
“Inclusive economic growth in Ghana cannot be achieved without the full and equal participation of women as economic actors. Ghanaian women need more opportunities to succeed, and greater control over resources and decision-making. When women are able to develop their full economic potential— whether as business leaders, entrepreneurs, or producers—economies thrive and the benefits of growth reach more people,” said Kati Csaba.
