Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama on Monday called on world leaders to reaffirm and accelerate their commitments to gender equality, as outlined in the 1995 Beijing Declaration, during the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women.
Speaking at the summit co-hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping and UN Women, Mahama said the meeting underlined the importance of collective action toward empowering women and girls.
He noted that Ghana remains committed to mainstreaming gender and has implemented key measures to promote women’s leadership and inclusion.
Among the progress cited were the election of Ghana’s first female vice president and the appointment of women to strategic positions in government.
Mahama also highlighted that Ghana has achieved gender parity in school enrollment and pledged continued government support to sustain that progress.
He pointed to strengthened agencies and dedicated budget allocations as part of efforts to ensure the effectiveness of social intervention programs.
He referenced the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) program, which targets female-headed households, and announced that steps are underway to establish a women’s development bank.
The initiative aligns with the African Union’s designation of 2020–2030 as the Decade of African Women’s Financial and Economic Inclusion.
In his role as the African Union’s Champion for Gender and Development Issues, Mahama urged fellow leaders to focus on sustaining gains made in women’s empowerment while addressing persistent gaps through transformative policies and action.
The two-day summit, held on Oct. 13–14, brought together global leaders to renew the spirit of the Beijing Declaration and accelerate its implementation in pursuit of gender equality worldwide.
BEIJING, Chiana – Bantu Gazette
