Empowering Queen Mothers to Lead Change: Highlights from the Inception Workshop on Securing Women’s Land and Property Rights

COLANDEF is reaffirming its commitment to advancing women’s land rights in Ghana by empowering Queen Mothers to play an active role in land governance and policymaking. Through the Securing Women’s Land and Property Rights Project, we are working to transform Queen Mothers into advocates and educators who can champion land and property rights for women across the country.

A significant milestone in this initiative took place at the Inception Workshop for Phase 2 of the project, held on 8th and 9th October 2024 at the Golden Key Hotel, Accra. Organized in collaboration with the Queen Mothers' Platform, Ghana (QMP), the workshop welcomed 21 Paramount Queen Mothers from selected traditional areas across Ghana, representing diverse communities such as Osudoku, Ningo, Drobo, Obogu, Prang, Techiman, Akyem Abuakwa, Duayaw Nkwanta, Agona Nsabaa, Mankessim, Senya Breku, Bunkpurugu, Ahamansu, Buipe, Mafi, Logba, Sefwi Wiawso, Upper Dixcove, and Busua. The President of the QMP, Nana Amponsah Dokua III, was also in attendance, as her traditional area was one of those participating in the project. .

The primary goal of the workshop was to equip Queen Mothers with the knowledge and tools needed to educate women within their respective traditional areas about land and property rights. Recognizing the critical role that Queen Mothers play as custodians of culture and influential figures in their communities, the workshop aimed to harness their unique position to drive  change at the local level. This approach seeks to empower Queen Mothers to lead efforts that challenge cultural and societal norms impeding women's access to land.

The 3rd Annual Conference and Workshop, organized by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) in partnership with the Queen Mothers' Platform and the Bono Regional Queen Mothers, recently took place. The event aimed to advance the role of Queen Mothers in Customary Land Governance in Ghana and increase their recognition and representation in policy discussions. COLANDEF has been providing support to the Queen Mothers' Platform in achieving these goals.

COLANDEF has since 2018 supported the setting up of the Queen Mothers’ Platform, Ghana with the aim of bringing all Queen mothers in Ghana under one umbrella platform and building their capacities for inclusion in policy spaces to promote socio-economic development and the affairs of women and children in the various communities. By way of advancing their roles in customary governance in their various traditional areas, the Queenmothers with continuous support from COLANDEF are working towards becoming more legitimate and recognized for representation and voice as a traditional leaders' platform for policy-level engagements.