{
  "id": 9294432,
  "title": "Women’s representation must rise beyond 14% — Minister",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/womens-representation-must-rise-beyond-14-minister",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-23T07:35:22.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Ghanaian Times",
    "slug": "ghanaian-times",
    "url": "https://ghanaiantimes.com.gh/womens-representation-must-rise-beyond-14-minister/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, has urged immediate action to boost women’s representation in Ghanaian leadership beyond the current 14%. She emphasized that the country cannot achieve sustainable development while women are largely excluded from decision-making roles. Lartey stressed that the new Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act, 2024 (Act 1121), is no longer just an advocacy issue but a key pillar of the Ministry's work. She called for precise implementation, ongoing monitoring, and public involvement during a capacity-building program for media women on implementing the Act at the Ministry's Ridge Conference Room. Ghana’s legislative commitment through the Act is vital, but the focus must now be on translating legal provisions into real-world results in communities, workplaces, and political institutions. Lartey highlighted the low 14% female representation in local government positions and called for urgent efforts to raise this to the 30% threshold by 2034, with higher aspirations at the elected level. The Act mandates progressive targets for women’s representation, increasing from 30% to 50% by 2034 in decision-making roles. Lartey stressed that the law's benefits extend beyond women to national development, underscoring that Ghana cannot fully develop if leadership consistently draws disproportionately from one gender. She also paid tribute to President John Dramani Mahama's leadership in gender equality, including his role as an African Union Champion for Gender and Development. The Ministry is amplifying community outreach, media engagement, and advocacy to ensure the Act's comprehension and execution. The Gender Equity Committee and Secretariat, along with the accompanying regulations (L.I. 2522), have been operational since June 2026. As of September 2026, 47 institutions had submitted compliance reports, with thousands of stakeholders already briefed on their legal obligations. Dr Marian Kpakpa, Chief Director of the Ministry, challenged the media to leverage its influence to educate the public and hold institutions accountable under the Act. Media figures, according to Dr Charity Binka, Chairperson of the African Women Leaders Network, must actively challenge stereotypes about women’s roles in leadership.",
  "summary": "The Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, has called for urgent action to translate Ghana’s Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act, 2024 (Act 1121), into measurable gains in women’s representation. She said the country could not achieve sustainable development when women remained largely absent from leadership and decision-making. Dr Lartey … The post…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "ERR News Estonia",
        "title": "Minister: France must explain lifting sanctions on Russian oligarch",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/minister-france-must-explain-lifting-sanctions-on-russian-oligarch",
        "published": "2026-09-23T07:58:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}