The Henry Djaba Memorial Foundation (HDMF) has called on all Ghanaians to intensify efforts to ensure gender equality and meaningful participation of women in leadership, governance, and economic life.

The call was made in a statement signed by Otiko Afisah Djaba, Executive Director, on International Women’s Day, March 8, 2026.

In the statement, the foundation highlighted the decades of systemic inequalities that have limited girls’ and women’s access to education, political representation, economic opportunities, and societal respect.

“For too long, girls were told to be patient, to wait their turn, to dream within boundaries set by society. They suffered in silence. Today, those limits are being broken,” she noted.

It emphasised that young women across Ghana, from Tamale to Somanya, are now daring to imagine themselves in positions of power as engineers, ministers, or members of parliament.

HDMF praised the passage of Ghana’s Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) law as a historic milestone in dismantling barriers to women’s participation in leadership and national development.

“This law did more than increase numbers. It shifted power. It challenged centuries of exclusion and forced institutions to confront the truth that talent has never been the problem. Access was,” the statement read.

The foundation emphasised that the law is a correction of historical inequalities, not a gift to women.

While celebrating these gains, HDMF acknowledged that laws alone cannot transform societies.

The foundation stressed that legal provisions must be accompanied by sustained investments, meaningful implementation, and accountability to ensure that women’s representation translates into real power and opportunities.

“Representation must lead to resources and investments in the development of girls and women, and participation must translate into influence and equality in everyday life,” it said.

The foundation urged government institutions, civil society organizations, development partners, and communities to work collaboratively to create tangible opportunities for girls and women, especially in marginalised areas.

It also emphasised the importance of gender-responsive budgeting and the need for men and women to work together to drive national development.

Concluding the statement, Otiko Djaba, on behalf of the foundation, called on Ghanaians to use the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day, “Give To Gain,” as a rallying point to protect progress, accelerate change, and deepen gender equality across the country.

“When girls and women succeed, communities rise, and when they are empowered, Ghana moves forward,” she added.

Read the full statement below:

PRESS STATEMENT
IRO
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2026
BY
OTIKO AFISAH DJABA
HENRY DJABA MEMORIAL FOUNDATION
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

For too long, girls have faced systemic inequalities in education, political representation, economic opportunities, and access to resources and respect. They were told to be patient, to wait their turn, to dream within set boundaries by society. And they suffered in silence for decades. Then these girls grew into women and began to fight back for their rightful place in society, today, those limits are being broken. Because of the fight for gender equality a girl in Tamale can imagine herself a minister of state, an engineer or a member of parliament. A young woman in Somanya can see leadership as her right, not her rebellion. Today, girls across Ghana are not only entering classrooms but are claiming laboratories, boardrooms, parliament, and movements that once shut them out. Because of this milestone, they are daring to realize their dreams and to achieve their goals. Indeed, it is exciting and refreshing to see that more women are stepping into leadership, more girls are seeing possibilities that once felt out of reach, and institutions are being forced to confront a simple truth that women must participate equally and equitably in all sectors of development. And women across communities all over Ghana are refusing silence and amplifying their voices for jobs, equal pay, political representation, safety, and respect.

The quest for increasing representation and participation of women, gave birth to the passage of Ghana’s Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) law. This was not just legislation; the Affirmative Action Law was a line drawn in history. It declared that the days when girls were expected to shrink their dreams and women were locked out of power were over. The passage of the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) law represents more than a policy milestone. It is a commitment to dismantling long-standing barriers that have limited women’s participation in leadership, decision-making, and national development. But let’s be clear: this law did more than increase numbers. It shifted power. It challenged centuries of exclusion and forced institutions to confront the truth that talent has never been the problem. Access was. The passage of Ghana’s Affirmative Action law was not a gift to women and girls but a long overdue correction of history.

But let us also be honest. Laws alone do not transform societies. We need to recognize that legislation alone will not transform the lives of girls and women. The laws open doors, but it is our collective responsibility to ensure those doors remain open and lead to real opportunity, real representation, and real power for women and girls. Representation of women must translate into resources and investments in the development of girls and women. and participation of women must translate into power and Equality must move from policy to their everyday lives.

This International Women’s Day, we celebrate the gains and progress thus far achieved, while renewing our collective commitment to action. On behalf of all women the Henry Djaba Memorial Foundation calls for strengthened implementation of the Affirmative Action law, increased support for girls’ education and leadership, and meaningful participation of women in governance and economic life. This law signals a turning point. It affirms that gender equality is not optional but essential for inclusive and sustainable development.

HDMF recommends effective implementation, sustained investment, and strong accountability mechanisms to achieve real impact. Civil society organizations, government institutions, development partners, and communities must work together to ensure that the promises of the laws translate into tangible opportunities for girls and women across the country, especially those in marginalized and underserved communities.

Sometimes doing the right thing is not easy but when it serves the nation then it must be done. We as a nation must prioritize for women to progress and rise just like men by also investing in them with gender responsive budgeting. Men and women must work together to achieve accelerated development of Ghana. Because when girls and women succeed, homes and communities rise and when they are empowered, Ghana moves forward and Ghana rises. When women are effectively and meaningfully involved, represented and lead, the nation will transform more rapidly and men and women are all better off.

So, as we commemorate this years International Women’s Day, let’s challenge ourselves to take action to protect the gains and use the theme “Give To Gain” as a clarion for all Ghanaians to push for deeper change and accelerate gender equality and equity now.
Otiko Afisah Djaba
Executive Director
Henry Djaba Memorial Foundation
8th March 2026

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