Women urged to double advocacy and collaboration to advance in society

The Executive Director of ABANTU for Development, Dr Rose Mensah-Kutin, has called on women in the country to intensify advocacy and collaboration to achieve meaningful advancement in society. 

She made the call during the 2024 End of Year Review of the Status of Women in Ghana, organised by the Network for Women’s Rights (NETRIGHT) in Accra last Friday.

Dr Mensah-Kutin described the state of gender equality in Ghana as requiring "renewed focus and unity" to overcome persistent barriers.  

“We must double our efforts to ensure our voices are heard and our rights are realised," she said.

She highlighted the critical role of collective action in shaping a more inclusive society.

"More needs to be done to address the plight of women. Collaboration and resilience remain our strongest tools to achieve gender equality," Dr Mensah-Kutin added. 

Progress  

Dr Mensah-Kutin also added that Ghana, as a nation, had made progress in the fight for gender equality and representation.

She praised the passage of the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act, 2024 (Act 1121), describing it as a “critical step towards bridging gaps in representation and inclusion," after over a decade of advocacy.

She also indicated that Ghana, having its first female Vice-President-elect, was “a very good and welcome sign for gender representation.”

Additionally, she said Efua Ghartey and Victoria Barth made history as the first female President and Vice-President of the Ghana Bar Association, respectively, while Shirley Ayorkor

Botchwey’s election as Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations added another feather to the nation’s cap.  

Despite these strides, she expressed concern over the underrepresentation of women in politics. For instance, only two female candidates contested the presidential elections, compared to 14 male candidates.

Dr Mensah-Kutin then urged stakeholders to address the persistent challenges that hinder gender equality and condemned the rise in online gender-based violence (OGBV) against female politicians, citing online news platforms as significant contributors to the problem.

“Public commentary on online news about female politicians is the worst avenue for OGBV, both in terms of prevalence and scope,” she asserted, calling for stronger accountability measures.  

Launch

At the event, NETRIGHT launched its 25th anniversary, with a renewed commitment to championing women’s rights.

The organisation awarded some institutions for their contributions to gender advocacy and launched its flagship Situation of Women in Ghana report.