By Francis Ntow, GNA
Accra, Sept 9, GNA – The Network for Women’s Rights in Ghana (NETRIGHT) has appealed to the Government to make Ghana’s tax laws more gender-responsive, progressive, and inclusive as the current tax and trade policies disproportionately affect women.
While lauding the review of key tax laws in the 2026 budget statement, NETRIGHT argued that the evaluations must be intentional about gender and address the persistent gaps in revenue mobilisation and economic inclusion.
Mrs Patricia Akakpo, the Head of Secretariat of NETRIGHT, said this at a public forum on the theme: “Promoting inclusive and gender-responsive budget priorities through citizens’ engagement.”
The project, funded under Canada’s Women’s Voice and Leadership initiative through Global Affairs Canada and implemented by Plan International Ghana, was aimed at strengthening feminist advocacy and promote inclusive, gender-responsive budgeting.
Mrs Akakpo noted that NETRIGHT had submitted recommendations to the Ministry of Finance as part of engagement for the 2027 budget, including conducting gender impact assessments on income tax, customs act, and excise duty.
She explained that women in agribusiness faced structural barriers including limited access to land, inputs, extension services and markets, which made it difficult for them to benefit from incentives targeted at export crops.
“Let’s look at trade policy, particularly with the sense that they may affect women and men differently,” she said, encouraging the Government to support women in non-traditional exports and agribusiness sectors.
She emphasised that unless tax and trade policies explicitly addressed the needs of women and vulnerable groups, they would continue to entrench inequality despite increases in agriculture budgets.
“So, if our policy is pushing for non-traditional exports, then how do we then ensure that women are supported to be able to also engage in non-traditional export?” Mrs Akakpo quizzed.
Madam Françoise Nduwimana, the Head of Cooperation at Global Affairs Canada, noted that the lack of systematic, regularly updated and comparable data on women’s economic participation made women invisible in national dialogues.
“Without visibility, there is no priority and without priority, there is no action,” she said, calling for strategies to facilitate inclusive discourse on the distribution and application of the national budget.
Ms Nduwimana commended Ghana for passing the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act, the national framework for gender equality coordination, noting Canada’s interest and belief in advancing gender equality as an effective way to achieving sustainable development.
Professor Akosua Darkwah, Convenor, NETRIGHT, said budgeting happened at both household and national levels and directly affected daily life, from roads and water to education and healthcare, urging authorities to make budgets reflect those needs.
She said with funding from Global Affairs Canada under the Women’s Voice and Leadership project, NETRIGHT would build understanding and drive engaged citizenship for a better Ghana.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe
Reporter: Francis Ntow