Accra, Ghana — Savings and Development Dialogue Ghana (SDD Ghana) has called on governments, civil society organisations, development partners and other stakeholders to adopt a holistic approach to addressing the social, economic and political challenges affecting women and girls.

The call was made as part of SDD Ghana’s message marking International Women’s Day, celebrated under the theme “Investing in Women: Accelerating Progress.”

SDD Ghana noted that while significant efforts have been made globally to advance the rights and participation of women, persistent structural, cultural and institutional barriers continue to limit the opportunities available to many women and girls.

The organisation therefore urged stakeholders to move beyond commemorating women’s achievements and focus on addressing the underlying challenges that continue to affect their participation and wellbeing.

Moving Beyond the Numbers

SDD Ghana acknowledged the efforts of governments to introduce programmes, enact legislation and refine policies aimed at improving the lives of women.

However, the organisation emphasised that these measures should not be regarded as favours to women. Rather, they represent important corrective actions needed to address years of marginalisation and the disproportionate underrepresentation of women in political, social and economic spaces.

SDD Ghana called on stakeholders to move beyond focusing solely on numerical representation and pay greater attention to the realities women experience in their homes, communities, workplaces and institutions.

Addressing Structural Barriers

The organisation said the International Women’s Day theme, “Investing in Women: Accelerating Progress,” provides an important opportunity to examine the barriers that continue to prevent women from fully accessing economic, social and political opportunities.

According to SDD Ghana, meaningful progress requires stakeholders to address structural, cultural and institutional barriers that limit women’s ability to exercise agency and participate fully in decisions that affect their lives and communities.

The organisation also called for accelerated action towards the passage of the Affirmative Action Bill, describing it as an important step towards strengthening women’s representation and promoting greater inclusivity.

Bringing the Experiences of Rural Women Into Focus

SDD Ghana further called on stakeholders to broaden the conversation on women’s empowerment to include women and girls living in rural communities.

The organisation cautioned against concentrating attention primarily on women in urban areas while millions of women and girls continue to experience challenges associated with marginalisation, unpaid care work and other forms of discrimination.

SDD Ghana stressed the need for policies and programmes to reflect the different realities of women across Ghana, particularly those whose experiences and challenges may receive less attention in national discussions.

Responding to the Diverse Needs of Women

The organisation also urged civil society organisations and development partners to invest more time and resources in understanding the different needs and experiences of women and girls.

SDD Ghana noted that women are not a homogeneous group and that interventions must recognise the differences between rural and urban women, rural and urban girls, and literate and non-literate women.

Understanding these differences, the organisation said, is essential to designing interventions that are relevant, inclusive and capable of producing meaningful change.

From Celebration to Meaningful Action

SDD Ghana called on all stakeholders to move beyond what it described as a focus on the “numbers game” and instead concentrate on interventions that produce tangible and sustainable outcomes for women and girls.

The organisation believes that investing in women requires sustained action, adequate resources and policies that respond to the realities women face at both the community and national levels.

SDD Ghana reaffirmed its commitment to promoting inclusive development and supporting efforts that strengthen the participation, agency and opportunities of women and girls.

The organisation encouraged government, civil society organisations, development partners, communities and other stakeholders to work together to address both the micro-level and macro-level challenges confronting women and to ensure that progress on gender equality translates into meaningful improvements in the lives of women and girls.