Accra: Marking International Women's Day 2026, the Henry Djaba Memorial Foundation (HDMF) has welcomed Ghana's new Affirmative Action law but cautions that it must deliver real power, resources, and daily improvements for women and girls.
According to Ghana News Agency, Madam Otiko Afisah Djaba, Executive Director of HDMF, stated that while the passage of the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) law is a significant historical milestone, it is important to recognize that "laws alone do not transform societies."
Madam Djaba emphasized the generational shift from a past marked by systemic inequalities in various sectors to a present where women are increasingly claiming their rightful place in society. She highlighted that girls have often been encouraged to be patient and to dream within set boundaries, leading many to suffer in silence for decades.
She remarked, "Today, a girl in Tamale can imagine herself a minister of state, an engineer or a member of parliament," and noted that a young woman in Somanya now sees leadership as her right. This shift has seen girls across Ghana not only entering classrooms but also claiming spaces in laboratories, boardrooms, parliament, and movements previously inaccessible to them.
Madam Djaba pointed out that the push to increase women's representation is a correction of history, culminating in the passage of the Affirmative Action law. She underscored that the law signals a national commitment to dismantle longstanding barriers to women's leadership and participation in development.
She stressed that while the law opens doors, it is a collective responsibility to ensure these doors lead to real opportunities and power for women and girls. Madam Djaba urged for representation to be translated into resources and investments in the development of girls and women, while participation must translate into power.
The Foundation called for stronger implementation of the Affirmative Action law, greater support for girls' education, leadership, and more meaningful participation of women in governance and economic life. Madam Djaba appealed to civil society, government institutions, development partners, and communities to work together to ensure the law delivers tangible opportunities, especially in marginalized and underserved communities.
In her closing remarks, she emphasized the importance of empowering women for the advancement of Ghana, urging both men and women to collaborate for accelerated development. As the nation celebrates International Women's Day, she called for the theme "Give to Gain" to inspire deeper change and accelerate gender equality and equity.