The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) has engaged government institutions, financial sector organisations, civil society groups and development partners to explore measures to improve women’s financial inclusion and integrate gender considerations into Ghana’s fiscal policies.
The discussions took place during a technical consultation organised by UNECA in collaboration with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP), as part of efforts to identify policy gaps and strengthen institutional capacity to advance women’s economic empowerment.
Speaking on behalf of the Ministry’s Chief Director, the Director of the Policy Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Directorate, Mrs Florence Ayisi Quartey, welcomed the UNECA delegation and participating stakeholders.
She expressed appreciation for the engagement, describing it as an opportunity to exchange experiences, assess existing policies and identify practical approaches to strengthening programmes that promote gender equality.
Mrs Quartey also highlighted the importance of leveraging UNECA’s technical expertise to improve the implementation and impact of policies supporting women’s participation in economic activities.
UNECA Targets Barriers to Women’s Financial Inclusion
The UNECA delegation explained that the mission sought to gain a clearer understanding of Ghana’s existing financial inclusion systems and identify practical tools for monitoring progress and strengthening institutional capacity. The team emphasised that financial inclusion strategies must reflect the diverse needs of women, particularly young women, entrepreneurs and those facing difficult economic circumstances.
The need for such interventions is reflected in the World Bank’s Global Findex Database 2025, which provides financial inclusion data for 2024.According to the database, approximately 78 per cent of adult women in Ghana owned a financial account, compared with 84 per cent of men. The disparity is more pronounced in digital payments, where 69 per cent of women used digital payment services, against 84 per cent of men.
These figures highlight persistent inequalities in access to and use of financial services, despite the growing availability of mobile money and digital banking. Addressing these gaps requires more than expanding account ownership. Affordability, financial literacy, access to technology and financial products suited to women’s businesses remain important considerations.
Gender-Responsive Budgeting Takes Centre Stage
A major focus of the consultation was the relationship between gender-responsive fiscal policies and women’s access to financial services.Participants examined existing policies, identified barriers to financial inclusion and explored opportunities to make financial sector initiatives more responsive to women’s economic needs.
Gender-responsive budgeting involves assessing how government revenue and expenditure affect women and men differently. It also ensures that public resources are allocated to address inequalities and support inclusive development.
Ghana has made efforts to strengthen this approach through the National Development Planning Commission’s 2025 Toolkit for Mainstreaming Gender-Responsiveness in Planning, Budgeting, Monitoring and Evaluation.
The toolkit provides practical guidance for integrating gender considerations throughout the planning and budgeting process.Additionally, the government launched the Revised National Gender Policy (2025–2034) in March 2026 to strengthen women’s economic opportunities, participation in governance and access to resources.
At the policy launch, the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, described gender equality as “not only a moral obligation but a strategic development imperative”. She also emphasised that effective implementation would require gender-responsive budgeting and measurable accountability mechanisms.
Findings Expected to Inform Future Policy
The scoping mission is expected to produce a comprehensive assessment outlining opportunities for gender-responsive budgeting, improved financial inclusion and targeted technical assistance. Its findings are also expected to inform recommendations for strengthening policies and institutional frameworks that support women’s economic participation.
For Ghana, the exercise presents an opportunity to build on existing gender equality policies while addressing practical barriers that prevent women from fully benefiting from financial services and economic opportunities.The success of these interventions will depend on effective implementation, adequate resource allocation and sustained collaboration among relevant institutions.
Ultimately, integrating women’s financial inclusion into fiscal planning could help create a more supportive economic environment for female entrepreneurs, improve access to financial resources and strengthen women’s contribution to Ghana’s development.
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