Women’s Manifesto for Ghana marks 22 years with call for full implementation

The Women’s Manifesto for Ghana has marked its 22nd anniversary with a call for sustained action to protect gains made in gender equality and accelerate the implementation of policies and laws that promote the rights and wellbeing of women and girls.

The anniversary falls today, Wednesday, September 2, 2026, and is being commemorated by the Secretariat of the Women’s Manifesto Coalition, hosted by ABANTU for Development.

The Coalition described the Manifesto as a living, non-partisan document that has evolved in response to Ghana’s changing social, economic and political conditions.

Originally launched in 2004 with 10 sections, the Manifesto has since been revised into a third edition containing 12 sections. The latest edition was released in 2025 to reflect emerging challenges facing women and girls in Ghana.

The Coalition said the anniversary provided an opportunity to recognise progress made over the past 22 years, including the passage of legislation aimed at advancing gender equality, while drawing attention to challenges that continue to affect women and girls.

“Twenty-two years on, the Coalition’s work is far from finished, calling on government, development partners and citizens to sustain the gains made and ensure that implementation of the Manifesto’s 12 sections does not lose momentum”, the Secretariat said.

The Coalition said persistent inequality, gender based violence and the possibility of reversing gains already made required continued public attention and action.

It said its current work included district level monitoring of government’s implementation of the Manifesto, mentoring young women in tertiary institutions and advocacy on legislation affecting women.

The Coalition also pointed to the implementation of the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act, 2024, as one of the areas requiring sustained advocacy.

The Women’s Manifesto emerged from growing concern over violence and discrimination against women in Ghana.

Its roots can be traced to protests by women activists in Accra in 2000 following a series of killings of women that remained unresolved. The protests helped bring wider attention to violence against women and created momentum for a broader national conversation on women’s rights.

ABANTU for Development and other women’s organisations subsequently began developing a national manifesto that would articulate women’s concerns and provide a framework for holding governments accountable.

Between June and December 2003, consultations were held with women’s groups, civil society organisations and representatives from district assemblies across the country.

The launch also led to the formation of the Women’s Manifesto Coalition, with ABANTU hosting its Secretariat.

The Coalition said the anniversary should therefore serve as a reminder that progress made over the past 22 years must be protected while efforts continue to address the challenges that remain.

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