Women in traditional leadership say they are prepared to take up more roles in governance, but continue to face structural, social, and cultural barriers that limit their participation in public decision-making.
This concern was strongly raised by Rognaa Salma Chaana Abdul-Razak during an engagement between the All Regional Queenmothers Association and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ-Ghana).
She said fear of public scrutiny, invasion of privacy, and societal backlash remain major deterrents preventing many capable women from contesting or occupying leadership positions.
According to her, female political aspirants often endure intense examination of both their private and public lives, a situation she described as discouraging and unfair, despite their readiness to serve.
Rognaa Salma called for stronger institutional protection and full enforcement of the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act, 2024, stressing that the law must translate into real opportunities rather than remain symbolic.
She urged authorities to move the legislation “from paper to practice,” and appealed to CHRAJ-Ghana to deepen collaboration with queenmothers through education and capacity-building programmes on gender equity and leadership rights.
Other queenmothers at the meeting echoed similar concerns, highlighting exclusion and marginalisation within both traditional and state governance systems.
Jou Ponaa Shefiha Yakubu called for stronger legal safeguards to protect women in leadership, noting that many paramount queenmothers continue to face systemic barriers that limit their participation in decision-making processes.
She urged CHRAJ and other state institutions to respond more decisively to issues of exclusion and unequal treatment within traditional governance structures.
The President of the Association, Nana Otubea II, also expressed concern that queenmothers are often left out of official engagements involving traditional authorities.
She called on government agencies and institutions to formally include queenmothers in communications and invitations relating to traditional governance matters in their jurisdictions.
According to her, such inclusion would improve coordination, strengthen collaboration within chieftaincy institutions, and enhance transparency in decision-making processes.
The queenmothers collectively stressed that achieving gender equity in governance will require not only laws, but also deliberate action, institutional commitment, and sustained public support.
