By Jones Anlimah
The Volta Regional Department of Gender has reiterated the need for urgent action to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG 5), which seeks to promote gender equality and empower all women and girls.
This call was made during a commemorative walk through the principal streets of Ho as part of activities marking this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD) celebration.
The 2025 IWD, under the theme “For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment,” aligns with the United Nations’ push to accelerate progress on gender equality.
Addressing the gathering, the Volta Regional Director of the Department of Gender, Mrs. Thywill Eyra Kpe, traced the historical significance of the day, emphasizing the importance of sustained advocacy.
“With only five years left to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, progress on SDG 5 remains slow,” she stated. “According to the UN, only 15.4 percent of the indicators for gender equality are on track, while 61.5 percent are moderately distant from the targets. Alarmingly, 23.1 percent are either far or very far off track.”
She further warned that, at the current pace, it would take an estimated 300 years to end child marriage, 286 years to remove discriminatory laws, 140 years to achieve gender parity in leadership, and 47 years for equal representation in national parliaments.
“This means that if we do not accelerate action, women will continue to face inequality for generations to come,” she stressed. “But we cannot afford to wait. Gender equality is not just a women’s issue—it is a development imperative.”
The walk, which drew over 500 participants from 60 groups and institutions, ended at the Volta Regional Coordinating Council, where a petition was presented to the Regional Minister. The petition highlighted key challenges affecting women and girls in the region, including low female representation in decision-making, workplace inequalities, gender-based violence, economic exclusion, and barriers to education and healthcare.
The Volta Regional Secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Madam Edith Amenuvor Afewu, in a statement, also emphasised the need for deliberate policies to improve working conditions for women, particularly in the formal and informal sectors.
“Despite commendable strides by the government and stakeholders, women in the Volta Region continue to face persistent obstacles to their well-being, participation, and empowerment,” she stated. “It is in this context, and in alignment with the global call to action, that we respectfully submit our petition for your gracious consideration, seeking targeted measures to address these enduring challenges and uphold the principles of International Women’s Day.”
She lamented the low representation of women in decision-making, noting that female parliamentarians in the region declined from four in 2020 to two in 2024, while only 6.8 percent of elected assembly members are women.
“We earnestly request the appointment of more women to the Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies to address this disparity,” she urged. “Additionally, we urge the expedited implementation of the Affirmative Action Law to ensure a sustainable system for gender equity in decision-making.”
Ghana’s performance in the Global Gender Gap Report 2024 was also referenced, showing that while the country has made significant progress in education with a score of 0.968 and in health with a score of 0.978, there are still significant disparities in economic participation, where Ghana scored 0.608, and in political empowerment, where women hold only 14 percent of parliamentary seats.
The Volta Regional Coordinating Director, Mr. Augustus Awity, received the petition on behalf of the Regional Minister, James Gunu. He acknowledged the concerns raised and assured the women that their demands would be forwarded to the appropriate authorities for consideration and action.
He further urged women to support women’s advocacy in all spheres of life, emphasising that collective action is crucial in achieving gender equality.
The event, which was self-sponsored by women’s groups and organisations, received support from Promasidor Ghana, Kristar Water, and various media partners.
The Department of Gender reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that Ghana accelerates action to achieve SDG 5 before 2030.
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