Introduction

In recent years, Ghana has seen a commendable rise in the number of women appointed to senior positions in government. From ministers and deputy ministers to ambassadors and high-ranking public offices, women are increasingly occupying leadership spaces hitherto considered off-limits for women. These strides are often celebrated as signs of progress toward gender equality and commitment to the provisions of the affirmative action and gender equity act, 2024, (Act 1121).

However, beyond the optics of representation lies a critical question: Are women in power shaping policy? Or are they being positioned without influence?

While the symbolism of appointing women to leadership roles is powerful, the real test lies in their ability to influence the direction and content of national policy, particularly in areas that disproportionately affect women and marginalized communities such as health, education, economic empowerment and social protection. “Women’s empowerment and their full participation on the basis of equality in all spheres of society, including participation in the decision-making process and access to power, are fundamental for the achievement of equality, development and peace.” (Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, 1995. P.3.)

Rwanda offers a strong case study on how women’s participation in politics can translate into substantive policy impact. Following the 2003 constitutional reforms that reserved 30% of parliamentary seats for women (a quota later exceeded), Rwanda’s Chamber of Deputies now consistently has over 60% female representation—the highest in the world. Research by Burnet (2011) and Powley (2007) demonstrates that this level of inclusion has significantly influenced legislative priorities.

Women parliamentarians spearheaded and passed progressive laws on gender-based violence (GBV), inheritance and land rights, and child protection, ensuring that women’s needs and perspectives were integrated into national policy. Moreover, gender-sensitive budgeting practices became institutionalized, with ministries required to show how spending plans address gender equality. These reforms have been credited with reducing gender disparities in education, health, and access to resources.

In some cases, appointments of women can appear more symbolic than substantive. They fulfill the optics of inclusivity, but they do not challenge or change the deeper, underlying systems (like budgeting practices, decision-making structures, or political party hierarchies) that maintain gender inequality. This creates a tokenism trap, where women are visible but not powerful, present but not decisive. What’s worse, when female leaders are not empowered to deliver change, it fuels public cynicism about the value of women in politics, reinforcing harmful stereotypes and setting back the cause of genuine gender parity.

Why does Influence Matter

Influence isn’t just about visibility it’s about agenda-setting, resource allocation, and legislative reform. When empowered, women in leadership have been shown globally to prioritize social investments, expand access to health and education, and push for legal reforms that protect women and children.  For instance, a World Bank study (2012) found that countries with higher female parliamentary representation were more likely to allocate resources toward health and education. Similarly, research by Chattopadhyay and Duflo (2004) in India demonstrated that female village council leaders significantly increased investments in drinking water, sanitation, and roads that directly benefited families.

In Sub-Saharan Africa, evidence from South Africa shows that female legislators were central to passing the Domestic Violence Act of 1998, advancing protections for women and children. In Ghana, a handful of female MPs and ministers have led or supported important initiatives on maternal health, reproductive rights, and girls’ education.

For example, former Minister of Health Sherry Ayittey championed maternal health reforms and expanded access to reproductive health services. Nana Oye Lithur, as Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, pushed for stronger legal frameworks on reproductive rights and protection against gender-based violence.

Additionally, female MPs such as Hajia Alima Mahama played leading roles in advancing legislation on girls’ education and child protection.  However, these are often isolated successes, not systemic outcomes of inclusive governance.

Systemic Barriers to Women’s Influence in Power

While progress has been made in increasing the representation of women in leadership, their ability to exercise meaningful influence within these roles continues to be shaped, and often constrained, by deeply embedded institutional and socio-political dynamics. These barriers are less about access to positions and more about how power is negotiated, perceived and exercised once women are within decision-making spaces.

A key constraint lies in persistent perceptions that question women’s leadership capabilities. Even where women hold formal authority, implicit biases can influence how their ideas are received, often subjecting them to higher thresholds of scrutiny or limiting the weight accorded to their contributions. This erosion of confidence, both externally imposed and internally reinforced by systemic norms, affects their ability to assert authority, shape discourse and drive policy outcomes.

Closely linked to this is the challenge of limited respect and recognition within predominantly male political and governance environments. Informal norms and entrenched hierarchies can result in women being overlooked in critical deliberations, interrupted or sidelined in discussions, or excluded from influential inner circles where key decisions are often shaped. As a result, formal presence does not always translate into real participation in agenda-setting or policy direction.

Furthermore, informal power structures continue to play a significant role in shaping governance processes. The influence of political “godfathers” and entrenched networks can constrain the autonomy of women leaders, particularly where loyalty and patronage outweigh merit and independent decision-making. These dynamics often operate outside formal institutional frameworks but have a profound impact on whose voices carry weight and whose perspectives inform final outcomes.

Collectively, these factors highlight a critical gap between representation and influence. They reinforce the need to move beyond counting the number of women in leadership to examining the quality of their participation and the extent to which they are able to shape policy, allocate resources and drive institutional change. Addressing these barriers is essential to ensuring that women’s presence in power translates into substantive and sustained impact.

Leveraging Women’s Influence in Power

To move beyond representation and strengthen women’s substantive influence in governance, deliberate efforts must be made to reshape the institutional and relational dynamics that define how power is exercised. This requires a focus not only on formal structures, but also on the informal norms and practices that determine whose voices are heard, respected and acted upon in decision-making spaces.

There is a need to strengthen institutional norms and accountability mechanisms to ensure that women in leadership are meaningfully included in high-level decision-making processes. This includes creating more deliberate pathways for women to shape agendas, lead discussions and influence outcomes in Cabinet deliberations, parliamentary engagements and policy formulation processes. Addressing implicit biases and institutional cultures that diminish the weight of women’s inputs is essential to ensuring that their presence translates into tangible influence.

Equally important is the need to disrupt informal power structures that constrain women’s autonomy within leadership roles. Promoting transparency, merit-based processes and clearer boundaries can help create an enabling environment where women leaders are able to exercise authority more effectively. Strengthening opportunities for coalition-building, peer support and strategic alliances among women in leadership can further enhance their collective influence and ability to shape governance outcomes.

In addition, strengthening women’s voice and authority within leadership spaces is critical, beyond formal inclusion, institutions must create conditions that enable women to confidently assert their perspectives, challenge dominant narratives and drive policy conversations. This includes addressing everyday practices and workplace cultures that undermine influence, such as exclusion from decision-making spaces, dismissive attitudes or limited speaking opportunities and replacing them with more inclusive and respectful engagement norms.

Finally, investing in institutional support systems for women leaders can further enhance their effectiveness and influence. Mentorship, peer learning platforms and access to strategic advisory support can strengthen confidence, negotiation skills and political navigation. These support mechanisms position women to exercise power strategically and sustain their influence over time.

Conclusion

Ghana has come far, but the road to true gender equity requires more than appointments and symbolic appearances. It demands a political culture that values women not just as symbols of inclusion but as powerful agents of change. Only then can the promise of equality move from podiums to policies and from policies to the everyday lives of Ghanaian women.

Written by:

Ragadahu Abdul Wahab