Member of Parliament for the Klottey-Korle Constituency, Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, has called for far-reaching structural reforms aimed at unlocking the full potential of African women, particularly in the agribusiness sector.
Speaking at the 2025 Pan-African Women’s Day celebration, Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings urged African leaders to critically review existing land tenure systems, which she described as a major barrier to women’s economic empowerment. She emphasized that although women often carry the burden of labour in agricultural value chains, they continue to be excluded from equitable access to land, fair wages, and property rights.
“Women do much of the heavy lifting in agriculture, yet they are sidelined when it comes to land ownership and decision-making,” she stated. She opined that without legal rights to land and property, many women are unable to use assets as collateral to access credit, which severely limits their ability to scale their businesses.
Citing research, Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings noted that women typically exhibit higher loan repayment rates than men. However, structural barriers continue to prevent them from securing financing, leaving the most vulnerable women with the least access to economic opportunities.
In addition, she advocated for gender-sensitive security reforms at national borders, proposing the deployment of a designated number of female officers at every border post. This, she explained, would enhance the sense of safety and dignity for women travelers, traders, and migrants.
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