The Women In Livelihood Development (WILD), a Ghanaian women-led civil society organization, has undertaken a three-day training program to empower indigenous women in the Banda District of the Bono Region. The training focused on topics such as equality, ownership, and human rights, with a particular emphasis on provisions of the Intestate Succession Act, 1985 (PNDC Law 111). The goal was to enlighten the women and inspire their active participation in decision-making processes within the Banda District Assembly.
Under the theme “Promoting Women’s Access to Control and Use of Land and Other Productive Resources to Promote and Participate in Decision-Making,” the training aimed to strengthen economic rights and women’s advocacy roles in the district. Mrs. Esther Foriwaa, the Executive Director of WILD, expressed concern about women’s marginalized position in decision-making processes. The organization’s mission is to empower and improve the socio-economic livelihoods of rural women, recognizing their vital roles within families and society.
A significant issue addressed during the training was the denial of access to land for many indigenous women. Globally, approximately 20 percent of women are landholders without secure rights. By providing women with rights to land, their economic status improves, leading to better living conditions, nutrition, and food sovereignty, along with improved health, education outcomes, and higher earnings. Economic empowerment is also seen as a way to reduce women’s rights abuses and violence within families and societies.
WILD’s efforts extend beyond the Banda District, as they are also active in the Tain District, Wenchi Municipality in the Bono Region, and the Obuasi Municipality, Afigya Kwabre District, and Kumasi Metropolis in the Ashanti Region.