Put Women at the Centre of Global Trade — Dr Naa Momo Tells ECOWAS
Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, has called for stronger measures to remove barriers confronting women entrepreneurs and position them as major players in regional and global trade.
She said women across the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) were already making significant contributions to economic growth as farmers, processors, manufacturers, traders, service providers, exporters and entrepreneurs, but their potential remained constrained by limited access to finance, technology, market information and larger markets.
Dr Lartey made the call on Friday in a keynote address delivered on her behalf by the Ministry’s Legal Adviser, Ms Nelly Bernice Wallace, at the ECOFEPA Executive Masterclass held as part of the Second 2026 Parliamentary Seminar and Second Extraordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament.
The masterclass was held under the theme, “Advancing Women’s Participation in Global Trade for Political Readiness and Export Opportunities in the ECOWAS Region.”
Dr Lartey said the persistent concentration of many women-owned and women-led enterprises in the informal economy required deliberate policy interventions to help them move into the formal sector and compete effectively in regional and international markets.
“We must move beyond seeing women primarily as beneficiaries of economic programmes to deliberately position them as producers, exporters, investors, innovators and decision-makers,” she said.
She noted that the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) offered a major opportunity to expand women’s participation in trade by opening new markets, improving competitiveness and enabling women entrepreneurs to scale their businesses beyond national borders.
According to her, initiatives such as the ECOFEPA masterclass were critical in bridging the gap between policy commitments and the practical knowledge women entrepreneurs need to turn trade opportunities into sustainable economic benefits.
Dr Lartey urged policymakers to move beyond the formulation of policies and legislation and develop practical systems capable of reaching women entrepreneurs, particularly those in rural communities and the informal sector.
She called for intensified capacity-building programmes to make women-owned businesses export-ready, alongside improved access to finance, technology, market information and digital platforms.
The Minister also stressed the need for sustainable linkages between women entrepreneurs and regional and international markets, while encouraging greater preparation of women to participate in decision-making processes that shape trade, investment and economic policies.
“These actions will require sustained commitment, stronger partnerships and, importantly, accountability for results,” she said.
Dr Lartey said the future of regional integration must ensure that women were not left at the margins of trade but were empowered to become active participants, innovators and leaders in the regional and global economy.
She envisioned an ECOWAS where a woman with a viable product would have the knowledge and skills to take it to market, the resources to expand her enterprise, digital tools to reach customers beyond her immediate environment and the confidence to influence policies affecting her economic future.
The Minister further linked women’s economic empowerment to political readiness, explaining that successful businesses could provide women with economic influence, confidence, networks and leadership experience needed to participate meaningfully in public decision-making.
She therefore encouraged participants to build stronger networks from the masterclass and translate the knowledge gained into practical initiatives capable of improving women’s participation in trade.
Dr Lartey commended ECOFEPA for organising the masterclass and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to promoting women’s participation in trade, leadership and economic development.
Source; Felix Nyaaba/expressnewsghana.com
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