MASCULINITY SHOULD NOT BE SEEN AS A RIVAL TO WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT – GENDER MINISTER

The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, has stated that masculinity should not be seen as a rival to women’s empowerment but as an ally for progress.

She indicated that true masculinity is not in opposition to women’s empowerment; it is instrumental to it.

The Minister added that society needs men who are not only allies behind closed doors, but advocates in public, mentors in leadership spaces, and defenders of equality in every sphere of society.

She said this during the HeForShe Summit 2025, organised by the African Women in Leadership Organisation (AWLO) on Saturday in Accra, with the theme “Redefining Masculinity: Men as a Catalyst for Women’s Development.

Dr. Lartey noted the government’s longstanding commitment to gender equality such as the historic nomination of Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang as Ghana’s first female Vice President, the record of appointing women to head strategic ministries and agencies, and the push for affirmative action in government.

She said the ministry was committed to advancing the government’s vision through the implementation of the Affirmative Action Act (2024), reforms in social protection programmes such as LEAP and the School Feeding Programme, and partnerships that create opportunities for women in leadership, innovation, and enterprise.

Dr. Lartey urged men in leadership positions to use their platforms to elevate women’s voices, challenge harmful norms, and stand firmly with women in the pursuit of equity and justice and called on participants to make the gathering not just a platform for dialogue, but a platform for action.

“Let us redefine masculinity. Let us reclaim equality. Let us rise together,” she noted.

Grace Acheampong, ISD