Mr. Sadat Adam (2nd from left) and some dignitaries present at the closure event of the WEACT Project
The Country Director, OXFAM in Ghana, Mohammed Anwar Sadat Adam, has announced a significant milestone, reporting that a total of 15 critical cases have been successfully addressed through the Women’s Advancement for Collective Transformation (WEACT) Project, marking a substantial outcome in promoting women’s empowerment and advancing their rights.
He stated that, these key achievements include the return of lands to widows, securing of child support, and the prevention of eight child marriages.
Additionally, he disclosed that, the project has empowered individuals to claim their rights through increased legal knowledge, and other four cases related to Gender-Based Violence (GBV) were referred to law enforcement agencies for appropriate action.
He mentioned these detailed information during the closure event of the Women’s Advancement for Collective Transformation Project, themed: “Sustaining Women’s Economic Empowerment for Inclusive Growth”.
Mr. Sadat Adam emphasised that the WEACT Project is designed to address gender-specific barriers, increase women’s agency and leadership, and promote economic empowerment for women in Ghana’s agricultural sector.
According to him, the project trained 126 Legal Literacy Volunteers (LLVs) who successfully raised awareness about women’s rights, family law, inheritance law, and children’s rights among 15,000 community members, comprising 8,820 women, 3,150 men, 1,638 girls, and 1,638 boys.
“Over 30,000 people have accessed information about legal rights through the interactive voice messaging platform with toll-free line. Remarkably, a large proportion of about 85.3% of women report knowing how to claim their rights through informal channels, such as traditional and religious leaders, while 68.3% know how to claim their rights through institutions like the legal system,” he stated.
Notably, he indicated that a significant majority of men (96%) and women (98%) believe that household responsibilities should be shared equally, reflecting a notable improvement from the midterm values (men: 39%, women: 55%) and baseline values (men: 27.2%, women: 21%).
“Similarly, nearly equal proportions of boys (95%) and girls (96%) support this view, suggesting that younger generations are being socialised into more equitable gender roles, which may lead to long-term behavioural change,” he underscored.
On access to time-saving technology and equipment for productivity, the Country Director noted that, the most remarkable improvement is observed in mechanised farm equipment, where women ownership and decision-making authority increased from 1.7% to 11.5%.
“This suggests that increasing access to modern agricultural technologies, can significantly enhance productivity, reduce labour intensity, and contribute to agricultural transformation. However, the relatively low end line percentage indicates that mechanisation remains limited, and further investments in accessibility and affordability of farm equipment may be necessary,” he reiterated.
The Deputy Director of Department of Gender of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Vera Karikari, in her speech unveiled that, the five-year initiative in Ghana has empowered women in cocoa and shea-producing communities, creating opportunities for economic advancement and challenging traditional gender norms.
She highlighted that, the WEACT project has been a game-changer, building a vital bridge towards a more economically inclusive future where every woman, especially those at the rural communities, can thrive.
By Janet Odei Amponsah