The Marriott Hotel in Accra became a hub for critical discussions on advancing female leadership in Ghana as Claudia Kwarteng Lumor, founder of Glitz Africa Magazine, convened the 2025 Women’s Leadership Breakfast Forum.
This National Dialogue on Affirmative Action, held on March 28, 2025, brought together prominent policymakers, female leaders, and international figures to address the challenges and opportunities surrounding the Affirmative Action Law, recently passed in Ghana.
At the heart of the summit was the powerful recognition that although the Affirmative Action Law has now been enacted, true change lies in its successful implementation.
Claudia Kwarteng-Lumor, as convener, emphasized that while Ghana has made impressive strides with the law, women’s representation in leadership positions must go beyond just numerical targets.
“How do we ensure that women are not just present in leadership spaces but are also empowered to drive transformative change?” she asked, urging attendees to think beyond policy into concrete actions that would bring the law to life.
Her reflections were framed within Ghana’s ambitious gender equity targets: 30% representation of women in decision-making by 2026, 35% by 2028, and 50% by 2030.
Despite these clear objectives, Claudia highlighted the persistent hurdles to gender parity, such as institutional resistance, cultural biases, and inadequate enforcement mechanisms.
“We must ensure that the institutions meant to support gender equality are adequately resourced,” she emphasized, calling for stronger governmental and institutional support for the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection.
Former Minister for Gender, Children, and Social Protection, and now a Deputy Chief of Staff, Nana Oye Bampoe, who was instrumental in the drafting and promotion of the Affirmative Action Bill, shared the historical journey of the bill’s passage.
Nana Oye Bampoe recalled how in 1996, Gloria Ofori Boadu first proposed the idea of affirmative action in Ghana, sparking a movement that would take decades to materialize.
“Thirty-three years later, we now have an act, and it’s a moment for celebration,” she remarked.
Reflecting on the persistence required to push the bill through, she drew attention to the challenges women face globally, citing examples from Nigeria, where female politicians like Senator Natasha Akoti have faced significant resistance and even suspension for speaking out on issues like sexual harassment.
-BY Daniel Bampoe
