By Priscilla Oye Ofori
Accra, Nov. 09, GNA-Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, says simple peer networks can deliver what policies alone cannot.
She cited a study in which growth-oriented women business owners were placed in curated WhatsApp peer groups for 16 weeks, whose monthly profits increased by 21 per cent.
Dr Lartey said these at the 2026 Commonwealth Women’s Forum in St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda as she shared Ghana’s experience at a session on women’s economic empowerment,.
She said finding showed the importance of networks that made women entrepreneurs visible and connect them to advice, contacts and opportunities.
The Minister emphasised that women’s economic empowerment was not only a social development concern but also a key condition for national growth.
“Women do not only take part in institutions, but we also lead,” she said.
Dr Lartey said it was imperative to create opportunities for women to participate fully in economic life as the role of women in leadership grew.
She said Ghana had put in place a strong policy framework, including the National Gender Policy 2025-2034, the National Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Policy, the National Financial Inclusion and Development Strategy, the National E-Commerce Strategy 2025-2029 and the 24-Hour Economy Policy, all underpinned by the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act, 2024.which provided a legal foundation for advancing gender equality.
The Minister noted, however, that the existence of policies must translate into meaningful changes in the lives of women.
She added that while women played a significant role in Ghana’s businesses and economy, many continued to operate in the informal sector, face limited access to finance and remain outside networks that connected businesses to buyers and investors.
“Women are earning, but too few are owning and deciding,” she stated, underscoring the need to address barriers that limited women’s ability to expand their businesses and exercise greater economic control.
GNA
Edited by Benjamin Mensah
Reporter: Priscilla Oye Ofori
Reporter’s email address: [email protected]