KNUST Professor Calls for Urgent Action on Gendered Inequalities
At his inaugural lecture at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Professor [Name] delivered a striking message: “Ghana’s poverty has a woman’s face.” This statement captures the harsh reality that poverty disproportionately affects women, especially those living in rural communities, and calls for urgent national attention to address systemic inequalities.
The professor explained that gendered poverty is deeply entrenched in Ghana’s social and economic structures. Women, particularly those engaged in subsistence farming and the informal economy, face limited access to land, credit, and productive resources. Patriarchal norms, discriminatory inheritance practices, and unequal property rights continue to marginalize women, leaving them vulnerable to cycles of deprivation.
He emphasized that in rural Ghana, women carry the dual burden of domestic responsibilities and economic survival. Many are responsible for feeding their families while simultaneously struggling to earn income from small-scale farming or petty trading. The lack of clean water, healthcare facilities, and educational opportunities compounds their struggles, trapping them in poverty across generations.
Education was highlighted as a critical pathway out of poverty. However, girls’ education remains fragile, undermined by teenage pregnancy, early marriage, and financial constraints. Dropout rates remain high, and without education, women’s chances of breaking free from poverty are severely limited. The professor stressed that empowering girls through sustained investment in education is essential for national development.
Health challenges also play a significant role. Inadequate healthcare facilities, high maternal mortality rates, and limited access to social protection schemes deepen women’s vulnerability. Poverty, he argued, is not only economic but also social and cultural, eroding women’s dignity and agency.
The lecture called for policy reforms that directly address these inequalities. Recommendations included gender-sensitive budgeting, reforms to guarantee women’s land ownership and inheritance rights, expansion of microfinance and credit access tailored to women entrepreneurs, and stronger incentives to keep girls in school. He also urged the government to expand healthcare services in rural areas to reduce maternal mortality and improve wellbeing.
Quoting directly, the professor stated: “Poverty in Ghana wears the face of a woman in the village, struggling to feed her children while denied access to land and credit. Empowering women is not charity; it is a necessity for national development.”
In conclusion, the lecture serves as a wake-up call for Ghana to confront the gendered dimensions of poverty. Addressing these inequalities is not only a matter of justice but also a prerequisite for sustainable development. As the professor concluded, “When women rise, Ghana rises.”
