Accra: Equality Now, a Civil Society Organisation, has raised concerns about the persistent delays in passing Ghana's Property Rights of Spouses Bill and the Interstate Succession Bill. These delays are reportedly undermining women's dignity, security, and equality, despite the nation's constitutional guarantees and recent progress in gender legislation.
According to Ghana News Agency, Ms. Esther Waweru, Senior Legal Advisor at Equality Now, highlighted these issues at the opening of a two-day civil society workshop in Accra. She noted that the continued inaction is leaving discriminatory provisions intact, which perpetuates injustices against women and children, particularly in scenarios of death or divorce. Ms. Waweru emphasized that, more than three decades after Ghana's 1992 Constitution mandated the enactment of spousal property rights legislation, this obligation has yet to be fulfilled. She also pointed out the weaknesses in the current succession laws that continue to disadvantage widows and children, especially within customary and religious contexts.
The workshop, held from September 10 to 11, 2025, is organized by the Initiative for Gender Equality and Development in Africa (IGED-Africa) in collaboration with the Solidarity of African Women's Rights (SOAWR) Coalition and hosted by Equality Now, Kenya. It aims to bring together civil society organizations, women's rights groups, lawyers, and policymakers to review Ghana's family law reform agenda and develop strategies for more effective advocacy.
Ms. Waweru acknowledged Ghana's progress with the passage of the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act, 2024 (Act 1121), but stressed the need for urgent action on pending family law reforms. She urged that the provisions of the Affirmative Action Act move beyond mere documentation to meaningful implementation. This includes addressing Parliament's prolonged delay in passing crucial family law bills, reconciling tensions between statutory, customary, and religious laws, and strengthening civil society advocacy to sustain progress amid political and cultural challenges.
She warned that without comprehensive reforms, many women remain vulnerable, excluded from property ownership, or trapped in cycles of poverty and marginalization. Ms. Waweru emphasized that family law reform is essential to achieving gender equality, as the Affirmative Action Act mandates at least 30 percent representation of women in governance and decision-making roles. Advocates have cautioned that the act's success hinges on rigorous enforcement and political commitment.
Ms. Sylvia Horname Noagbesen, Executive Director of IGED-Africa, highlighted the significance of collaboration among civil society groups. She explained that IGED-Africa's initiatives emerged from longstanding challenges related to women's property rights, land rights, and inheritance laws. She underscored the critical role of coalitions such as SOAWR and the African Family Law Network in sustaining advocacy and aligning national reforms with continental frameworks like the Maputo Protocol.
Ms. Noagbesen articulated that family law transcends legal technicalities and affects everyone. She expressed optimism that addressing these issues would improve the lives of families and society as a whole. The workshop aims to draw lessons from other African countries and strengthen solidarity among Ghanaian CSOs. Organizers hope the discussions will yield concrete advocacy strategies and apply pressure on Parliament to act on the long-pending bills.
