Gender Ministry engages queen mothers to advance gender parity and social development

The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, has held a strategic engagement with the leadership of Queen Mothers Association to advance gender equality and strengthen community-led development efforts.

She noted that sustainable national development requires the active involvement of all stakeholders, particularly traditional leaders such as queen mothers, who play a critical role at the community level.

In the meeting held on Monday in Accra, the Minister expressed gratitude for the visit and reaffirmed the government's commitment to inclusive development.

She stated that the Ministry remains committed to ensuring that "no one is left behind," aligning with the broader national development agenda.

Dr Naa Momo Lartey indicated that the Affirmative Action Act, passed in 2024 and launched in 2025, was at the implementation stage, with a Secretariat established to drive its rollout.

She added that the Ministry continues to implement targeted social interventions through programmes such as LEAP and the Ghana School Feeding.

The Minister presented copies of the Affirmative Action Act, the Social Protection Act and documents on the LEAP reassessment onboarding process to the Association to support their advocacy and community outreach efforts.

She further underscored the indispensable role of queen mothers in addressing critical social issues, including teenage pregnancy, child welfare, caregiving and community sensitisation.

She urged the Queen Mothers to actively support and encourage more women to contest in the upcoming District Assembly elections, stressing that their involvement would be crucial to achieving gender parity in local governance.

On her part, the President of the delegation, Nana Otubea II, outlined the formation and purpose of the Association, noting that it brings together gazetted queen mothers across the country to promote inclusivity, community development and participation in the national decision-making process.

She said the association reaffirms its commitment to partnering with the government in advancing development initiatives within its traditional areas.

The association highlighted its advocacy efforts to contribute to the passage of the Affirmative Action Act, and expressed appreciation to the Minister for her leadership, while calling for stronger collaboration and inclusion in governance.