Credit: Caleb Kuleke, GNA
Ho, Oct. 3, GNA – Ms Nana Efua Hackman, Head of the Legal Department, Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), says gender equity must be embraced as a strategic investment that reinforces institutional efficiency, improves workplace culture, and drives overall performance.
She said research consistently demonstrated that societies that empowered women and girls experienced stronger economies, more resilient communities, enhanced social cohesion, and better development outcomes.
Ms Hackman made the remarks during a sensitisation workshop organised for stakeholders in the Volta Region, aimed to deepen participants’ understanding of Ghana’s landmark Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act, 2024 (Act 1121).
The workshop was organised by the KAIPTC in partnership with the Ministry of Gender Children and Social Protection (MOGCSP) through the Volta Regional Directorate of the Department of the Gender.
It was on the theme: “Advancing Gender Equity for Inclusive Development and Sustainable National Progress,” with participants drawn from the academia, civil society organisations, security services, media, traditional and religious bodies, youth groups among others.
Ms Hackman said the enactment of the Act was a declaration of a collective commitment to ensuring that women and men had equal opportunities to contribute to and benefit from the social, economic, political, and developmental progress of the country.
She urged institutions to commit to fostering environments that champion diversity, promote inclusion, guarantee equal opportunities, ensuring that the aspirations embodied in the Act translated into measurable results, and meaningful change.
Ms Hackman noted that one of the most significant aspects the Act was its broad application, encompassing all business entities, institutions, and bodies across both the public and private sectors.
She pointed out that although women had played indispensable roles in shaping families, communities, institutions, and national development for decades, they continued to face persistent inequalities.
Ms Hackman explained that the Affirmative Action Act aimed to curb these systemic inequalities by creating a more balanced, inclusive society where talent, competence, and leadership potential were no longer restricted by gender.
She stated that the Act mandated gender equity in appointments and decision-making roles, noting that diverse leadership led to superior decision-making, stronger institutions, greater innovation, and improved organisational performance.
She said the Act also placed immediate responsibilities on all public and private institutions to develop and implement a gender equity policy or plan, urging all organisations to treat compliance not as a burden, but as a vital opportunity.
Ms Hackam said the policies and plans were to serve as practical roadmaps that identify barriers to gender equity, establish measurable targets, and outline actionable strategies for achieving inclusive participation at all levels.
Mr James Gunu, the Volta Regional Minister states that the Affirmative Action Act represented an important development in Ghana’s continuing efforts to promote equality, inclusion and effective participation in national development.
He said gender equity must not be regarded merely as a women’s issue, rather a national development issue.
The Minister said women constituted a significant proportion of the country’s population and make enormous contributions to families, communities, institutions and the economy.
Mr Gunu said the evidence of women’s contributions across every sector of society was clear, underscoring the bed to create institutions where competence and opportunity would meet, without unnecessary barriers based on gender.
He commended the KAIPTC and the Gender Ministry for the sensitisation, saying that a law could only achieve its intended purpose when the people and institutions responsible for its implementation understood it.
“Stakeholders must therefore become familiar with the provisions of Act 1121, their responsibilities under the law, and the mechanisms available to support implementation and accountability,” he added.
Mrs Thywill Eyra Kpe, Volta Regional Director, Department of Gender, said the MOGCSP had consistently emphasised that implementation of the Act required a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach.
She said the Ministry had already taken important steps towards operationalising the Act, including the establishment of the Gender Equity Committee, stakeholder sensitisation and work on implementation mechanisms.
“But the Ministry and Department of Gender cannot implement this Act alone. Act 1121 places gender equity where it belongs: within our institutions, our governance systems, our workplaces and our development processes,” Mrs Kpe added.
She thanked the KAIPTC for partnering with the MOGCSP to provide a platform for awareness, dialogue, and collective action on the implementation of the legislation.
GNA
Edited by: Maxwell Awumah/Kenneth Odeng Adade