DƆNÙESÈ Data Center / Women’s Rights Laws by Country / Ghana

West Africa · Country law profile

Ghana: women’s rights and civic space laws

Ghana operates under the 1992 Constitution and has ratified the Maputo Protocol, CEDAW and its Optional Protocol, and the Budapest Convention. In September 2024 the President assented to the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act, 2024 (Act 1121), which sets a minimum of 30 per cent women in decision-making bodies with a progressive move towards parity, yet women held 14.5 per cent of parliamentary seats after the December 2024 elections. On 29 May 2026 Parliament passed the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025, which expands criminal penalties linked to LGBTQ+ identity, advocacy and funding, and a draft Cybersecurity (Amendment) Bill 2025 has raised press freedom concerns.

Women leaders at an RFLD convening. RFLD member organisations use these laws in their advocacy. Photo: RFLD, taken with the consent of participants.

At a glance

Capital	Accra
Legal system	Common law system combined with customary law, under the 1992 Constitution
Official languages	English

Key indicators

14.5% (40 of 276)Women in Parliament (2026)

18Minimum legal age of marriage, no exceptions (1998)

16.1%Women aged 20 to 24 first married before 18 (2022)

66.72World Bank WBL 2026 legal frameworks score (2026)

234 per 100,000Maternal mortality ratio, live births (2023)

Regional and international treaties

Treaty	Status	Reservations or notes
Maputo Protocol	signed 31/10/2003 / ratified 13/06/2007 / deposited 20/07/2007	None recorded on AU status list
CEDAW	signed 17/07/1980 / ratified 02/01/1986	None recorded
CEDAW Optional Protocol	signed 24/02/2000 / ratified 03/02/2011	None recorded
African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child	signed 18/08/1997 / ratified 10/06/2005 / deposited 15/07/2005	None recorded on AU status list
ILO C190 Violence and Harassment Convention	Not ratified (the Trades Union Congress was still calling for ratification in September 2026)
ILO C100 Equal Remuneration Convention	ratified 14/03/1968
ILO C111 Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention	ratified 04/04/1961
ICCPR	signed and ratified 07/09/2000	None recorded
Kampala Convention	signed 02/02/2010 / not ratified
AU Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection (Malabo)	signed 04/07/2017 / ratified 13/05/2019 / deposited 03/06/2019
Budapest Convention on Cybercrime	Party by accession; instrument deposited 03/12/2018. Ghana signed the Second Additional Protocol on 28/06/2023

Constitution

Constitution	Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, 1992
Quotas or parity	No constitutional or electoral quota for women (IPU). The Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act, 2024 (Act 1121) sets statutory targets of at least 30 per cent women in decision-making bodies, rising progressively towards parity.

National laws

Rape and sexual offences

Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), section 101 (defilement)

Criminalises sexual intercourse with a child under 16, with penalties of 7 to 25 years’ imprisonment.

Source: girlsnotbrides.org

Sexual harassment

No dedicated sexual harassment law identified

Ghana has not ratified ILO C190 on violence and harassment at work; trade unions argue national ratification is needed because collective agreements cannot cover all its provisions.

Gaps: No comprehensive workplace violence and harassment framework (Trades Union Congress, 2026).

Source: ghanabusinessnews.com

Child marriage and age of marriage

Children’s Act, 1998 (Act 560), section 14

Sets 18 as the minimum age of marriage with no exceptions and makes forced betrothal, dowry transactions involving a child and child marriage offences.

Gaps: 16 per cent of women aged 20 to 24 married before 18, rising to 28 per cent in Northern and Upper East regions. The National Strategic Framework on Ending Child Marriage covers 2017 to 2026.

Source: girlsnotbrides.org

Political participation and quotas

Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act, 2024 (Act 1121)

Requires at least 30 per cent women in key decision-making bodies across public, security and business sectors, with a progressive increase towards 50 per cent, gender-responsive budgeting by public bodies, and penalties for gender-based discrimination.

Gaps: Women still held 14.5 per cent of parliamentary seats after the 2024 elections and made up 12.8 per cent of parliamentary candidates.

Source: mogcsp.gov.gh

Labour and maternity

Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651), sections 55 to 57

Provides maternity protection, including 12 weeks of maternity leave.

Gaps: Ghana has not ratified ILO C183, whose minimum is 14 weeks.

Source: ghanabusinessnews.com

Online violence and cybercrime

Cybersecurity Act, 2020 (Act 1038); draft Cybersecurity (Amendment) Bill, 2025

Act 1038 established the Cyber Security Authority. The 2025 draft amendment would add offences of cyberbullying, cyberstalking and spreading false information, with penalties of up to 10 years, and expand the Authority’s powers of arrest, seizure and data access.

Source: idea.int

Vulnerable Groups

Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), section 104; Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025 (passed 29 May 2026)

Section 104 criminalises ‘unnatural carnal knowledge’ between consenting adults as a misdemeanour. The 2025 Bill punishes same-sex conduct and ‘holding out’ as LGBTQ+ with up to three years and promotion or advocacy with up to 10 years.

Source: graphic.com.gh

Gender-based and domestic violence

Domestic Violence Act, 2007 (Act 732)

Defines domestic violence to include physical, sexual, psychological, economic and social abuse, and covers informal unions. It provides for investigation and prosecution. It also provides for protection. It set up the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) and a support fund.

Source: genderapp.statsghana.gov.gh

Female genital mutilation

Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), section 69A, as amended by the Criminal Offences (Amendment) Act, 2007 (Act 741)

Makes female genital mutilation a second-degree felony with a minimum of three years’ imprisonment. The 2007 amendment extends liability to people who take part, including medical practitioners and parents.

Source: genderapp.statsghana.gov.gh

Harmful practices

Criminal Code amendment of 1998 banning ritual or customary servitude (trokosi)

Bans all forms of ritualised servitude, including sending girls to shrines, with a minimum penalty of three years.

Gaps: The practice persists in parts of south-eastern Ghana and widowhood rites remain prevalent with little improvement.

Source: genderapp.statsghana.gov.gh

Child marriage and age of marriage

Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), sections 100 and 109 (forced marriage)

Treats a marriage obtained by duress as void and makes compelling a person to marry a criminal offence.

Gaps: Forcing someone into marriage is only a misdemeanour.

Source: genderapp.statsghana.gov.gh

Family and personal status

Marriages Act, 1884 to 1985, and Customary Marriage and Divorce (Registration) Law, 1985

Recognise ordinance marriages. They also recognise customary and Islamic marriages and provide for registration of customary marriages and divorces.

Gaps: Registration of customary marriage was made optional in 1991, and informal unions are not recognised. Islamic marriages require a male representative’s signature for the bride.

Source: genderapp.statsghana.gov.gh

Family and personal status

Matrimonial Causes Act, 1971

Governs divorce for monogamous marriages and lets courts award custody to either parent.

Gaps: Division of property on divorce is left to judicial discretion, and a Property Rights of Spouses Bill has long been pending.

Source: genderapp.statsghana.gov.gh

Inheritance and succession

Intestate Succession Law, 1985 (PNDCL 111)

Governs the distribution of property, including shares for the surviving spouse and children, when a person dies without a will.

Gaps: Reform bills to improve the law have been pending for years and the law is applied inconsistently.

Source: genderapp.statsghana.gov.gh

Inheritance and succession

Constitution of Ghana, 1992, article 22

Entitles a surviving spouse to reasonable provision from the estate of the deceased spouse and calls for laws on spousal property.

Source: genderapp.statsghana.gov.gh

Land and property

Land Act, 2020 (Act 1036), sections 38 and 47

Presumes that land acquired for value during marriage belongs to both spouses and treats a spouse holding title alone as a trustee for both. It requires written spousal consent to sell, mortgage, lease or give away such land.

Gaps: The protection does not cover property acquired before the Act took effect in December 2020.

Source: graphic.com.gh

Nationality

Ghana Citizenship Act, 2000

Provides for acquisition and retention of Ghanaian citizenship, including by marriage.

Gaps: Section 10(6) sets a permanent residence requirement for a foreign husband of a Ghanaian woman that differs from the rule for foreign wives of Ghanaian men.

Source: genderapp.statsghana.gov.gh

Access to justice and legal aid

Legal Aid Scheme Act, 1997 (Act 542)

Provides free legal aid to qualifying persons who cannot afford a lawyer.

Source: genderapp.statsghana.gov.gh

Data protection

Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843)

Regulates the processing of personal data and establishes the Data Protection Commission.

Source: dlapiperdataprotection.com

Women and girls with disabilities

Persons with Disability Act, 2006 (Act 715)

Prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, education, health care and access to public spaces, and created the National Council on Persons with Disability.

Gaps: The ten-year deadline for accessible public buildings expired in 2016 without penalties, and an amendment bill to strengthen enforcement is still pending.

Source: disabilityworld.org

Civic space

Cybercrime law	Cybersecurity Act, 2020 (Act 1038); Cybersecurity (Amendment) Bill, 2025 opened for public consultation in October 2025.
Human rights defenders law	No specific law identified
Notes	International IDEA reports allegations of heavy-handed police responses to protests in September 2024 and a July 2026 Supreme Court ruling upholding the independence of the Office of the Special Prosecutor. The Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025 contains provisions that would disband organisations, criminalise funding and impose liability on media owners and platform operators.

Human rights defenders

No NGO Act and no law on human rights defenders

A Non-Profit Organisations Bill was with the Attorney General in December 2023 and had not been passed.

Gaps: Defenders have no specific legal protection.

Source: gna.org.gh

Social protection

National Health Insurance Act, 2012 (Act 852); National Pensions Act, 2008 (Act 766)

Set up national health insurance and the pension system.

Source: ghalii.org

Older persons

No specific law on older persons

The Aged Persons Bill has been pending since about 2010. The National Ageing Policy (2010) is a policy, not a law.

Gaps: No law on the rights of older persons.

Source: gna.org.gh

Recent developments

4 September 2026. Trades Union Congress called for ratification of ILO Conventions 183 and 190.
29 May 2026. Parliament passed the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025, which then awaited presidential assent.
19 December 2025. Renewed call to pass the Property Rights of Spouses Bill, pending since 2009.
1 October 2025. Public consultation opened on the Cybersecurity (Amendment) Bill, 2025, criticised by the Ghana Journalists Association.
December 2024. General elections; Ghana elected its first woman Vice-President.
19 September 2024. Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act, 2024 (Act 1121) signed into law.

Reforms recommended

Reforms recommended by the African Commission, UN treaty bodies or national organisations, as reported in the sources below.

Pass the Property Rights of Spouses Bill and the Intestate Succession Bill to give effect to Article 22 of the Constitution.
Ratify ILO Conventions 190 and 183, including extending maternity leave from 12 to 14 weeks (Trades Union Congress, September 2026).
Narrow the false-information, cyberbullying and cyberstalking offences in the draft Cybersecurity (Amendment) Bill, 2025 to protect legitimate expression (Ghana Journalists Association, via International IDEA).
Fund and enforce the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act, 2024, including party compliance with its targets.
Withhold assent from or repeal the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, 2025, which human rights organisations say violates freedoms of expression, association and privacy.

Being verified. RFLD is checking the laws on the following topics against official texts and will add them to this page: abortion and sexual and reproductive health, girls’ education, trafficking. Corrections and documents are welcome at programs@rflgd.org.

African Union treaties

Status of 29 African Union treaties as recorded in the official AU status lists published by the African Union Commission. The date of each list is shown: a ratification deposited after that date may not appear yet. 9 of the 13 human rights and governance treaties below are ratified.

AU treaty	Status	AU list dated
Maputo Protocol (rights of women)	Ratified 13/06/2007	19/09/2023
African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights	Ratified 24/01/1989	15/06/2017
African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child	Ratified 10/06/2005	14/02/2023
Protocol establishing the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights	Ratified 25/08/2004	14/02/2023
African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance	Ratified 06/09/2010	08/07/2024
AU Convention on Ending Violence against Women and Girls	Signed 2025, not ratified	22/05/2026
Protocol on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities	Not signed	22/05/2026
Protocol on the Rights of Older Persons	Signed 2017, not ratified	22/05/2026
Protocol on Social Protection and Social Security	Not signed	22/05/2026
African Youth Charter	Ratified 28/10/2013	19/09/2023
OAU Refugee Convention	Ratified 19/06/1975	16/05/2019
AU Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption	Ratified 13/06/2007	14/02/2023
AU Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection (Malabo)	Ratified 13/05/2019	02/02/2026

Other AU treaties (16)

AU treaty	Status	AU list dated
Protocol on Free Movement of Persons	Signed 2018, not ratified	08/08/2023
Protocol on the Statute of the African Court of Justice and Human Rights	Signed 2009, not ratified	18/06/2020
Protocol on Amendments to the Statute of the African Court of Justice and Human Rights (Malabo Protocol)	Signed 2016, not ratified	22/05/2026
Protocol of the Court of Justice of the African Union	Signed 2003, not ratified	18/06/2020
Protocol on the Peace and Security Council	Ratified 04/07/2003	27/04/2022
Protocol to the OAU Convention on Terrorism	Signed 2005, not ratified	15/06/2017
OAU Convention on Mercenarism	Ratified 20/07/1978	15/06/2017
Charter on Decentralisation, Local Governance and Local Development	Signed 2016, not ratified	25/03/2022
Charter on Public Service and Administration	Signed 2011, not ratified	08/07/2024
African Charter on Statistics	Ratified 12/10/2016	19/09/2023
Statute of the Pan African Intellectual Property Organization	Signed 2017, not ratified	19/09/2023
African Road Safety Charter	Signed 2017, not ratified	22/05/2026
Revised African Maritime Transport Charter	Signed 2017, not ratified	25/03/2022
Phyto-sanitary Convention for Africa	Not signed	15/06/2017
Convention establishing the African Centre for Fertilizer Development	Signed 2004, not ratified	19/09/2023
Constitution of the Association of African Trade Promotion Organizations	Ratified 12/08/1974	16/05/2019

Sources (30)

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Information verified as of October 2026. This page is for information and advocacy and is not legal advice. Laws change: check the official text before relying on it. Part of the DƆNÙESÈ Data Center of the Women Leaders Network for Development (RFLD). See also the Maputo Protocol Hub and the Maputo Barometer.

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