Ghana has launched three legal instruments aimed at strengthening social protection and promoting gender equity, with Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang calling for effective implementation to improve the lives of vulnerable people and expand opportunities for women.
The instruments are the Social Protection Act, 2025 (Act 1148), the Social Protection Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2521), and the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2522).
The launch, organised by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, was held in Accra on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, under the theme, “Building an Inclusive, Equitable and Resilient Ghana: From Legislation to Results.”
Delivering the keynote address, the Vice President said the success of the frameworks would be determined by their impact on the lives of Ghanaians rather than their enactment alone.
She explained that the Social Protection Act provides a legal foundation for a coordinated national system covering social assistance, social insurance, emergency support, a Social Protection Fund, and mechanisms for complaints and redress.
The accompanying regulations are expected to guide the implementation of the Act, while the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Regulations will help institutions fulfil their obligations to promote women’s participation in leadership and decision-making.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang called for accountability and the efficient use of public resources to ensure that people experiencing poverty and vulnerability receive appropriate support and that women have fair opportunities to contribute to national development.
The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, described the launch as both a major achievement and a responsibility for the Ministry.
She acknowledged the years of advocacy and consultation involving women’s groups, persons with disabilities, older persons and other stakeholders in shaping the instruments.
Dr Lartey outlined five commitments to guide implementation: making the laws accessible in plain and local languages; providing institutions with practical guidelines, reporting templates and training; strengthening data, targeting and coordination systems; improving complaints and feedback mechanisms; and publishing regular progress reports.
She also pledged full compliance by the Ministry and its agencies with the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Regulations.
The Minister urged social welfare officers, community development officers, gender desk officers and other frontline personnel to carry out their duties with fairness, professionalism and compassion, stressing that their work would be critical to translating the laws into meaningful outcomes.
The importance of social protection was illustrated through the experience of an older widow who struggled to provide for her children and keep them in school following her husband’s death.
Without a salary or pension and with limited mobility due to age, she relied on support to meet her household’s basic needs. Her circumstances highlighted the role of the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme in supporting vulnerable households.
The event also emphasised the need to connect social assistance with livelihood opportunities to help beneficiaries build long-term resilience.
Representatives of UNICEF and the World Bank commended Ghana for the launch and reaffirmed their support for efforts to strengthen social protection and gender equity.
They stressed the importance of reliable data, effective programme delivery and linking social assistance to essential services, skills development, livelihoods and financial inclusion.
The launch brought together representatives of Parliament, traditional authorities, public institutions, development partners, civil society, organised labour, the private sector, women’s groups, persons with disabilities, youth organisations, academia and the media.
The Vice President subsequently unveiled the three instruments, marking the start of a renewed focus on implementation.
The priority, the Ministry said, is to ensure the new legal frameworks translate into tangible improvements in the lives of Ghanaians, particularly vulnerable households and women seeking equal opportunities in leadership and decision-making.
READ ALSO:
Nana Akua Addo, children to receive psychosocial support – Gender Minister
Violence will never be tolerated – Gender Ministry on Nana Akua Addo saga
