John Dramani Mahama, in his capacity as the African Union Champion for Gender and Development Issues, has used the 39th African Union (AU) Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to push for stronger progress on gender equality across the continent. His address and engagements at the summit emphasised that closing gender gaps is critical for Africa’s sustainable development and economic transformation.
Speaking before fellow heads of state, policymakers, and development partners, President Mahama underscored that gender equality should not be treated as a secondary issue but integrated into national planning, budgeting, and governance systems. He urged African leaders to adopt gender-responsive budgeting frameworks, fully implement the AU Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls, and accelerate efforts to boost women’s financial inclusion and economic participation.
Mahama highlighted key achievements by Ghana in advancing gender parity, including government investments to support women-led businesses, progress toward equal educational opportunities for girls, and institutional reforms that strengthen women’s empowerment nationwide. He also appealed to the private sector to align investment strategies with gender equality objectives and treat female empowerment as a smart economic priority rather than a peripheral concern.
The president’s remarks come amid continental discussions about how best to translate political commitments into tangible outcomes on the ground. Despite progress made under existing AU frameworks, many speakers at the summit pointed out that implementation gaps remain, particularly in financing, enforcement, and access to opportunities for women and youth.
