"It's Time to Walk the Talk on Gender Equality" - Mahama

Beijing, China – October 13,2025 - President, John Dramani Mahama, has reiterated the Ghana's commitment to advancing gender equality and women's empowerment. Speaking at the Global Leaders' Meeting on Women in Beijing, China, Mahama emphasized the need for renewed global resolve to accelerate progress toward achieving gender equality worldwide.

Mahama, who is also the African Union Champion for Gender and Women's Empowerment, urged world leaders to move beyond rhetoric and turn the vision of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action into concrete, transformative results. "We must match our declarations with decisive action," he stressed. "True progress cannot be achieved when half of humanity remains constrained by structural and cultural barriers."

President Mahama highlighted several achievements under his leadership, including the election of Ghana's first female Vice President and the appointment of women to key positions in government, the judiciary, the security services, and national institutions. He also pointed to the passage of the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act, 2024, which mandates a minimum of 30% female representation in public appointments by 2026, increasing to 35% by 2028 and 50% by 2030.

Mahama announced plans to establish a Women's Development Bank to provide low-interest loans, financial literacy, and business training for women entrepreneurs. This initiative aims to promote financial inclusion and create more opportunities for women across all sectors of the economy. "These are not symbolic gestures; they are a deliberate affirmation that women deserve a seat at the highest levels of decision-making," he said.

He acknowledged that structural barriers still limit women's progress and called for greater resolve and innovation to achieve lasting equality. He also cautioned that the rapidly changing world order could undermine progress made under the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In this unpredictable environment, Mahama emphasized the need to focus on safeguarding the gains made by women and other vulnerable groups since the Beijing conference thirty years ago.

The President further highlighted Ghana's achievements in education, stating that the country has attained gender parity in school enrollment, with more girls staying in school. He also outlined several social protection programs that directly benefit women and girls, including the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) initiative, the Ghana School Feeding Programme, and the nationwide distribution of free sanitary pads for schoolgirls to promote menstrual health and reduce absenteeism.

Source – Lead News Online/Robert Israel