Accra: Stakeholders in the promotion of women's economic rights have called on the Government to establish publicly funded community care centers to cater to the vulnerable and reduce the unpaid care burden on women and girls. Dr. Faustina Obeng Adomaa, a social researcher, emphasized the need for these centers to be equipped with trained personnel, equipment, and resources, allowing families to temporarily drop off care recipients, including children with disabilities and the elderly, to engage in economic activities, pursue education, or recover from the demands of care work.
According to Ghana News Agency, Dr. Obeng Adomaa made this statement at a Public Forum on Gender Analysis of the 2026 National Budget organized by the Network for Women's Rights in Ghana (NETRIGHT) in Accra. She highlighted that currently, the majority of care responsibilities fall on households, pulling many women and young girls out of school to provide round-the-clock care for vulnerable individuals. Without viable alternatives, these caregivers, often women and girls, have little to no time for education, paid work, or rest, negatively impacting their economic rights and well-being.
Dr. Obeng Adomaa further stressed the need for a national care policy to bring coherence to a sector that spans multiple ministries, including health, early childhood education, disability services, elder care, childcare, and even water supply. She argued that a holistic policy would provide a framework for coordinated action within the care economy and help Ghana track services to ensure interventions in health are complemented by those in education, childcare, and elder care.
Madam Patricia Blankson Akakpo, the Executive Director of NETRIGHT, acknowledged existing investments in care-related sectors but noted that they remain insufficiently resourced, coordinated, and targeted. She advocated for increased and rebalanced investment in care services and infrastructure, as well as a shift from conventional social protection to care-responsive systems. Additionally, she called for the introduction of care economy budget tagging and tracking systems to improve accountability.