For more than a decade, women’s rights advocates, civil society organizations, and parliamentary champions across Ghana shared a DREAM: a nation where women and men would stand side by side in leadership and decision-making. That vision became a reality in 2024 with the passage of the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act, 2024 (Act 1121)—a historic law that enshrines equality in participation as both a right and an obligation of the state.
The road to this victory was long, winding and marked by resilience. The Affirmative Action Coalition, led by Convener Madam Sheila Minkah-Premo and hosted by Abantu for Development, worked tirelessly with a broad network of women’s groups and civil society organizations. Year after year, they advocated, lobbied, and educated the public—even as the bill stalled repeatedly in Parliament despite overwhelming national support.
An important breakthrough came when the African Centre for Parliamentary Affairs (ACEPA), through the Inclusive Legislatures for Gender-Responsive Policies (ILGRP) project funded by Global Affairs Canada and implemented with the Parliamentary Centre, helped the Coalition gain critical access to key parliamentary committees. This support enabled sustained dialogue with Members of Parliament, including the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin, and leaders of the Gender, Children and Social Protection Committee. These engagements—once inaccessible—became turning points in the legislative process.
“The major challenge was access to the Parliamentary Committee on Gender and Children,” recalled Ms. Becky Enyonam Ahadzi, Esq., Project Coordinator of the Affirmative Action Coalition. “ACEPA’s interventions under the ILGRP made it possible for us to engage meaningfully. That changed everything.”
In July 2024, Parliament finally passed the Act, ending more than a decade of anticipation. The Executive’s assent and subsequent gazetting in September marked a historic shift in Ghana’s commitment to gender equality. For many advocates, the moment was profoundly emotional. “It felt like watching a dream we had carried for decades finally come to life,” said Keziah Peace Kenneth Azumah, Esq. “It proved that our voices were not in vain.”
With the law’s passage, national awareness efforts intensified. ILGRP supported dissemination of an abridged version of the Act to Members of Parliament and parliamentary staff and worked with partners—from the Ladies in Parliamentary Service (LIPS) to local government actors—to build understanding of the new requirements.
Implementation is well underway. The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection established a 13-member Gender Equity Committee (GEC) in July 2025 to oversee compliance, review annual reports, and advise on policy directions. As President John Dramani Mahama affirmed in his 2025 State of the Nation Address: “Women currently make up 23.21% of all appointments, and we are diligently working toward the targets set forth in Act 1121.”
The Act now mandates at least 30% representation of women in public decision-making and political party structures by 2026, rising to 50% by 2034—a transformative step toward equitable governance.
More than a legal reform, Act 1121 stands as a powerful testament to what collective advocacy, strategic partnership, and unwavering determination can achieve. It is a victory for women, a victory for Ghana, and a foundation for a more inclusive future.
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ACEPA would like to thank the many gender advocacy groups and think tanks who made this success possible, including: Abantu for Development, ActionAid International, Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG), International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA Ghana), NETRIGHT, NORSAAC, Strengthening Transparency, Accountability and Responsiveness in Ghana (STAR Ghana), and Women in Law and Development in Africa (WILDAF).
