International Women’s Day: WiLDAF forum calls for accelerated action on gender equality in leadership

After a century-long struggle for gender equality, women have made significant strides in traditionally male-dominated professions.

In Ghana, this progress is evident with milestones such as the appointment of the country’s first female Vice President, Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, and the increasing number of women in leadership positions. What began as a movement for voting rights and equal pay has now empowered women to take on influential roles across various industries.

As the world marks International Women’s Day, the Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF), under the Power of Voices Partnerships (PvP) Fair4All project, hosted a Multistakeholder Engagement to celebrate women's contributions and push for further action toward gender equality, equity, and justice. This year’s theme, “Accelerate Action,” was reflected in the event’s focus: “Accelerate Action and Empower Excellence: Women Leading the Way in the Extractives and Cocoa Value Chains in Ghana.” The engagement featured panel discussions with women pioneers, industry experts, and policymakers to explore ways to increase female representation in key sectors.

Speaking at the forum, Prof. Grace Ofori Sarpong Akuffo, Pro Vice Chancellor of the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), acknowledged the progress made but stressed that much remains to be done. Ghana has seen an increase in women occupying top positions in academia, governance, and the extractive industry. However, despite these achievements, “women still account for less than 10% of voices in decision-making spaces,” she pointed out. She emphasized the need for at least 30% female representation in leadership, aligning with the Affirmative Action Act, which seeks to improve women’s participation in governance.

Prof. Ofori Sarpong urged women to be proactive in seizing leadership opportunities, stating, “But my point I really push for was for the females ourselves to rise up to the action. To position ourselves strategically.” She further encouraged women to persist despite setbacks. “We need to rise up to the challenge, we need to motivate ourselves. I’m saying that if you moved and failed, you need to re-strategize, you need to change the objectives, modify the approach and move again. Push further and we will be able to get there as females.”

During the panel discussion, Mrs. Sarah Quayson Danquah, Director of Capacity Development and Localisation at the Petroleum Commission, highlighted the oil and gas sector’s commitment to increasing women’s participation. She explained that Ghanaian professionals are often assigned to expatriates in the upstream sector for skills and technology transfer, creating opportunities for young women to take up middle-level roles. Thanks to these initiatives, female participation in the oil and gas industry has grown from 3% to over 20% in recent years.

She cited the Operations Director of Tullow Ghana and the CEO of the Petroleum Commission as examples of women breaking barriers in the sector. “There are many more because now we have women who are doing technical work, instrumentation, subsea, drilling and others.” She further noted, “It was said that it was never going to be possible, but we have seen women take up the challenge and they have done really well.”

Panelists shared diverse perspectives on the challenges and successes of women in leadership, emphasizing the importance of strengthening advocacy and policy implementation. The forum sought to increase awareness of the Affirmative Action Act and the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles (UNWEPs) within Ghana’s extractive and cocoa industries. It also aimed to recognize and celebrate the achievements of women pioneers in mining, petroleum, and cocoa, while encouraging more women to pursue leadership roles in these sectors.

As discussions on women’s leadership continue, stakeholders reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring women are not just included but fully empowered to lead across all industries.