The Founder and Executive Chairperson of the Young African Women Congress (YAWC) Network, Daniel Osei Tuffuor, has called for a shift in the conversation on women’s empowerment in Africa, arguing that true transformation can only be achieved when women have ownership of productive assets and greater control over wealth creation.

Speaking at the YAWC Network’s 10th Anniversary Public Lecture in Accra on July 30, 2026, Osei Tuffuor said while significant progress has been made in empowering women through education, leadership development, entrepreneurship and mentorship programmes, empowerment alone is not enough to guarantee long-term economic security and justice.

Addressing participants on the theme, “Beyond Empowerment: Ownership, Wealth and Economic Justice for African Women,” he urged policymakers, development partners and stakeholders to focus on ensuring that women own productive assets, build wealth and participate in economic decision-making.

Osei Tuffuor illustrated his point with the story of two women who worked under similar conditions but experienced different outcomes because one owned the land she cultivated and controlled how her income was invested, while the other did not.

He said ownership transformed labour into wealth and influence, underscoring the need for women to move beyond participation in economic activities to actual ownership of resources.

According to him, women continue to play critical roles in agriculture, commerce, education, technology, healthcare and the informal sector across Africa, yet many still face barriers to land ownership, access to finance, wealth creation and economic decision-making.

Reflecting on the achievements of the YAWC Network over the past decade, Osei Tuffuor noted that "the organisation has expanded its presence to 12 countries across Africa and the diaspora and has empowered thousands of women through leadership development, mentorship, entrepreneurship training, advocacy and civic engagement programmes."

He disclosed that more than 15,000 women have been empowered through the YAWC Annual Global Convocation, while over 500,000 grassroots women have benefited from community projects undertaken by the organisation.

He added that more than 30,000 young women and girls have benefited from outreach programmes in health, education and mentorship.

Osei Tuffuor stressed that the next phase of the organisation’s work should focus on ensuring that women are not only participants in economic development but also owners of productive assets, creators of wealth, investors in future generations and equal beneficiaries of economic growth.

Delivering the keynote lecture, lawyer and gender advocate Sheila Minkah-Premo said Africa’s conversation on women’s empowerment must evolve from increasing participation to ensuring ownership and economic justice.

She argued that while significant progress had been made through legal and policy reforms, many women continued to face barriers in owning land, accessing finance, inheriting property and accumulating wealth.

According to her, economic participation did not always translate into economic security, as many women remained active in business and agriculture without gaining control over the assets they helped create.

She highlighted the need for effective implementation of laws such as the Intestate Succession Act, the Lands Act and the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act to ensure women could fully enjoy their rights.

Minkah-Premo also called for the passage of comprehensive legislation on the property rights of spouses, noting that women’s contributions to wealth creation within marriages must receive legal recognition.

She further encouraged women to prioritise wealth creation by investing in assets, building sustainable businesses, improving financial literacy and leveraging opportunities within the digital economy and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).



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