CEGENSA Hosts High-Level Dialogue on Affirmative Action Act Implementation

As Ghana marks one year since the passage of the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act 2024 and commemorates AU Pan-African Women’s Day, the University of Ghana’s Centre for Gender Studies and Advocacy (CEGENSA) has held a high-level policy dialogue to assess the implementation of the landmark legislation.

The dialogue, held in collaboration with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP), Netright Ghana, and the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF), brought together key actors from government, academia, civil society and the legal sector. It was held under the theme: “The Affirmative Action Act 2024: Implementation, Progress and Challenges.”

Chairing the event, Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, described the Act as a “democratic imperative and a strategic necessity” for Ghana’s development. She urged stakeholders to move beyond celebration and examine the practical steps, institutional frameworks and political will required to transform the law into tangible improvements for Ghanaian women and girls.

Speaking on behalf of the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Ms. Anastasia Asare, Director of Programmes at the Ministry, applauded CEGENSA’s leadership and revealed that the Ministry has commenced the drafting of a Legislative Instrument (LI) to give legal backing to the effective implementation of the Act.

Prof. Deborah Atobrah, Director of CEGENSA, emphasised the need for robust implementation and sustained political commitment to ensure the law delivers on its promise. She reiterated CEGENSA’s commitment to fostering policy dialogues that bridge research and practice in the field of gender equity.

The panel discussion, which was moderated by Dr. Linda Abaka, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Adult Education and Human Resource Studies, featured rich contributions from Professor Akosua K. Darkwah, Dean of the School of Information and Communication Studies and Convenor of NETRIGHT; Mrs. Clara Kasser-Tee, Lecturer at the University of Ghana School of Law and Head of Kasser Law Firm; Mr. Dennis Nii Okai Armah, Legal Practitioner with T. Forson & Co.; Ms. Becky Enyonam Ahadzi, a Lawyer, Development Consultant and Gender and Child Rights Advocate who also serves as Coordinator of the Affirmative Action Law Coalition; Ms. Susan Aryeetey, Acting Executive Director of FIDA Ghana; and Ms. Victoria Nyavor, Programme Officer at the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection.

The event was attended by students from the University of Ghana, as well as the West Africa and Frafraha Senior High Schools, providing a platform for intergenerational engagement on gender equity and policy advocacy.