The UK High Commissioner to Ghana, Christian Rogg, has paid a courtesy call on the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, to deepen cooperation on gender equality and inclusive development.
The meeting focused on shared priorities between the United Kingdom and Ghana, with both sides exploring ways to strengthen collaboration in social protection and women’s empowerment.
During the engagement, the Minister disclosed that steps are underway to operationalise the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act.
“A Legislative Instrument has been presented in Parliament to implement the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act, 2024. This initiative aims to enhance collaboration among various agencies and institutions to improve service delivery,” she said.
Dr. Lartey also highlighted progress under the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme, revealing plans to expand its reach.
“A nationwide reassessment is currently underway to expand beneficiary households from 350,000 to 400,000,” she noted, adding that government is exploring sustainable support systems for beneficiaries exiting the programme, including the Adwumawura Programme.
According to the Minister, strengthening social protection remains a priority. “The importance of strengthening social protection systems through enhanced linkages interoperability, and shock responsive mechanisms to better respond to crisis,” she emphasized.
Discussions also touched on women’s economic empowerment, with a focus on skills training, access to capital, and support for women-led businesses. Menstrual hygiene was highlighted as another critical area, with stakeholders stressing the need to boost confidence among girls and encourage local production of sanitary products.
For his part, Mr. Rogg commended the Minister’s leadership and reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to Ghana.
He pledged continued technical and financial support, particularly in initiatives aimed at empowering women and girls.
He further noted that the UK is actively supporting programmes that build the capacity of young women to enhance their participation in economic and public life.
Both parties expressed optimism about strengthening bilateral ties to deliver inclusive and sustainable outcomes for vulnerable populations across Ghana.
