Institutions, public policy must remove barriers facing women – Vice President

Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has said institutions and public policy have an important role to play in removing barriers that continue to limit women’s progress in Ghana.

She said although Ghana had made considerable progress in advancing women’s participation and representation, inequalities remained at various levels of society.

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang said progress recorded at the top should not obscure the challenges women continue to face further down the social and economic ladder.

“Many of the barriers women face were created by institutions. Institutions and public policy can also remove them. Ghana has travelled a considerable distance, however, progress at the top should not obscure inequalities further down the path," she said.

The Vice President said this when she delivered a keynote address at the inaugural Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences (GAAS) Women’s Awards in Accra on Wednesday, September 30.

She said the government is continuing to implementat the Affirmative Action Act as part of efforts to promote gender equality and address structural barriers affecting women.

According to her, a Gender Equity Committee had been established, while the legislative instruments needed to give practical effect to the law had also been submitted to Parliament.

“We have also introduced the revised National Gender Policy, and are expanding access to resources for women entrepreneurs through the establishment of the Women’s Development Bank," she noted.

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang said the measures formed part of broader efforts to create an enabling environment for women to participate meaningfully in Ghana’s social, economic and political development.

She stressed that the progress made so far should be accompanied by sustained efforts to address inequalities that persist at different levels of society.