President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, has called for urgent and concrete steps to advance gender equality across Africa, warning that the continent’s development could be undermined if women are left behind.
Speaking at a high-level breakfast meeting on the sidelines of the African Union Summit in Adisababa on Friday, 13 February, 2026, Mr. Mahama said gender equality is not just a moral obligation but a fundamental driver of economic growth, social resilience, and sustainable development.
“The efforts to create gender parity is not only a female issue. It is for both male and female,” Mahama said.
“Africa cannot grow by leaving its women behind, and unless gender equality is embedded in our macroeconomic planning, public financing, peace and security, our development will remain incomplete.”
He emphasized the importance of strengthening existing continental frameworks that protect the rights of women and girls, including the Maputo Protocol.
“While 46 states have ratified it, I urge the remaining nine to do so without delay,” Mahama said. He also highlighted the AU Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls, noting that Ghana has signed it and will ratify it during the current parliamentary session.
The President outlined four key actions to accelerate gender equality:
- By 2028, every member state should adopt gender-inclusive budgeting with minimum allocations for gender equality.
- Urgent implementation of the AU Convention on ending violence against women and girls, supported by national action plans.
- Accelerate financial and economic inclusion to ensure women and youth enjoy equal access to finance, markets, decent work, and economic decision-making.
- Convene a high-level stock-taking summit to publicly report progress, reinforce accountability, and celebrate success stories.
Mahama also highlighted Ghana’s initiatives aimed at promoting women’s empowerment. In the 2026 budget, the government allocated GHC401 million to capitalize the Women’s Development Bank, targeting affordable credit, financial literacy, and enterprise support for women, particularly those in informal and vulnerable employment.
Other initiatives include strengthening institutions that protect women and girls, such as specialized domestic violence units, dedicated courts, survival support services, and social protection programmes like LEAP, the school feeding programme, free sanitary pads for schoolgirls, and free tertiary education for persons with disabilities.
Ghana has also enacted the Affirmative Action Gender Equity Act, setting binding targets for women’s representation, 30% by 2026, 35% by 2028, and 50% by 2030, ensuring dedicated budgetary allocations for gender programmes.
“The true test of this meeting will not be the speeches we’ve given but tomorrow’s budgets, the laws, and the protection of women and girls,” Mahama said, urging African leaders, development partners, and civil society organizations to take strong, practical action.
He concluded that investing in women is not charity but a smart economic strategy, stressing that every educated girl, every woman entrepreneur, and every barrier removed contributes to Africa’s prosperity and innovation.
