Mahama Urges African Leaders to Prioritize Gender Funding at AU Summit

Speaking at the African Union (AU) General Assembly, President Mahama said, “Decades of declarations on our gender agenda remain chronically underfunded. Gender-responsive programmes are often the first casualties when austerity measures are applied.”

He highlighted that women’s rights organizations are expected to deliver transformative outcomes with minimal resources, while the care economy—largely sustained by African women—remains largely invisible in national budgets.

President Mahama also drew attention to the lack of adequate funding for initiatives to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls. He warned that persistent financing gaps in girls’ education, particularly beyond basic schooling, are limiting the continent’s long-term development potential.

“Yet the evidence is clear: gender equality makes economic sense,” he said. “Investments in women raise productivity, strengthen resilience, and expand economic growth. Every woman entrepreneur creates jobs. Every girl educator multiplies prosperity. Every barrier removed to ambitious innovation benefits all of society.”

The president’s remarks underscore a growing consensus that African nations must integrate gender considerations into budgeting and policy decisions, recognizing women and girls as pivotal drivers of social and economic transformation.