Accra:District Assemblies across ten districts in the Northern, North East, and Savannah Regions have made commitments to tackle issues related to unpaid care work following community engagements under the United for Care-sensitive Approaches to Rights and Empowerment (UCARE) project.
According to Ghana News Agency, the commitments focus on enhancing access to water, sanitation, labor-saving technologies, and essential infrastructure services aimed at reducing the time and effort women and adolescent girls spend on unpaid domestic and care responsibilities. These commitments emerged from Gender Model Family (GMF) District Summits held from September 22 to 29, 2026, across different assemblies.
The summits provided a platform for communities to present their priorities and engage with district authorities and relevant departments on practical responses to challenges that add to the care burden of women and girls. They brought together 381 participants, including district planning officers, coordinating directors, and representatives from various sectors.
UCARE, a five-year project funded by Global Affairs Canada and implemented by Alinea International in partnership with SEND Ghana and other organizations, aims to reduce the unequal burden of unpaid care and domestic work borne by women and adolescent girls. The project seeks stronger policies and greater agency for women and girls by recognizing and addressing unpaid care work.
District authorities examined how community priorities could be integrated into development plans and budgets. Interventions planned include technical assessments and rehabilitation of broken boreholes, strengthening water management, and incorporating maintenance into annual action plans. The MMDAs also identified labor-saving technologies and improved sanitation as key areas of focus.
The summits concluded by recognizing high-performing Gender Model Families and distributing labor-saving technologies to support positive practices. Accountability measures, including an MMDA UCW Action and Commitment Tracker, were established to document progress on commitments. The success of these initiatives will depend on funding, partnerships, and sustained monitoring to ensure practical improvements in communities.