Ghana Reaffirms Commitment to Inclusive, Gender-Responsive Care Systems
Ghana has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing inclusive, gender-responsive and sustainable care systems across Africa.
This was relayed by the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Hon. Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, who leads a Ghanaian delegation to the inaugural Africa Care Forum in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Delivering Ghana’s solidarity message on behalf of the President of the Republic of Ghana and the AU Champion for Gender and Development, H.E. John Dramani Mahama, Hon. Dr Lartey commended the African Union Commission, particularly the Women, Gender and Youth Directorate, for establishing the Forum as a continental platform for dialogue, learning and action on care.
She emphasised that Africa must move beyond viewing care as a private household responsibility or predominantly a women’s concern, stressing that care is fundamental to human development, economic productivity, social protection and sustainable national development.
Highlighting Ghana’s experience, the Minister noted that the unequal distribution of unpaid care and domestic responsibilities continues to affect women’s participation in education, decent work, entrepreneurship, public life and decision-making.
She said Ghana’s response is anchored in recognising care work as productive and socially valuable, reducing the burden of unpaid care through infrastructure, technology and quality public services, and redistributing care responsibilities more equitably among women and men, families, communities, the state and other actors.
She cited the National Gender Policy (2025-2034), the Gender Action Learning System (GALS), the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme and the Early Childhood Care and Development Policy, 2025 as key interventions contributing to Ghana’s care agenda.
The Minister indicated that GALS has helped promote shared domestic and caregiving responsibilities, with experiences showing reductions in women’s unpaid care workload, increased participation of men in caregiving and more opportunities for girls to pursue education and other activities.
She also highlighted LEAP’s support to vulnerable households, including those caring for older persons, persons with severe disabilities and orphaned and vulnerable children.
On early childhood development, Hon. Dr Lartey noted that Ghana’s Early Childhood Care and Development Policy 2025 adopts a comprehensive approach covering health, nutrition, education, care, protection and social inclusion.
She stressed that investment in quality early childhood services is not only an investment in children, but also in stronger families and greater opportunities for women.
The Minister expressed hope that the inaugural Forum would mark the beginning of a new continental compact for care characterised by stronger commitment, policy coherence and sustained investment in care systems that are inclusive, gender-responsive, accessible and adequately supported, contributing to the well-being of families, the empowerment of women and girls and sustainable development of Africa.
The Forum, being held from September 2 to 4, 2026, under the theme “Placing Care at the Centre of Africa’s Development Agenda,” brings together Ministers and representatives of African Union Member States, development partners, civil society organisations, academia, the private sector, care workers and other stakeholders to promote dialogue, knowledge exchange and African-led solutions to strengthen care systems across the continent.
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