The Volta Regional Director of the Department of Gender, Mrs. Thywill Eyra Kpe, has called on Queen Mothers in the Volta Region to use their influence to promote women’s rights, protect girls, and advance inclusive development. This appeal was made at the handing-over and inaugural ceremony of the president and newly elected executives of the Volta Regional Queenmothers Association in Ho on Thursday. Mrs. Kpe emphasized the significant role Queenmothers play as custodians of culture, peacebuilders, and influential agents of social change.
Mrs. Kpe highlighted that the transition to a new leadership of the Volta Regional Queen Mothers Association presented an opportunity to renew the commitment of traditional women leaders to addressing challenges affecting women and girls in the region. She described development in the Volta Region as requiring women’s leadership and participation at every level. According to her, this would strengthen education, healthcare, livelihoods, community cohesion, and accountability.
The Regional Director identified critical issues requiring urgent attention, including gender-based violence (GBV), defilement, child marriage, and sexual exploitation. She urged Queenmothers to support survivor-centered referral systems and encourage the formal reporting of criminal offences instead of settling such cases privately. Additionally, she called for greater attention to girls’ education, menstrual and reproductive health, positive parenting, women’s access to land and financial resources, as well as protection against discriminatory social norms and online abuse.
Mrs. Kpe also discussed the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act, 2024 (Act 1121), which provides a framework for advancing gender equity and increasing women’s representation in public decision-making. She mentioned that regional figures for 2025 showed women occupied only 31 of the 458 elected Assembly seats, representing 6.8 per cent, while they held two of the 18 parliamentary seats, representing 11.1 per cent in the region. These figures demonstrate the need for sustained efforts to remove barriers to women’s participation in leadership and governance.
The Regional Director urged Queenmothers to lead grassroots sensitization on the Act, collaborate with the Department of Gender and Municipal and District Assemblies (MDAs), and mentor women and girls to aspire to leadership positions. She tasked the new executives to advocate for the meaningful participation of women in traditional councils, community committees, and local governance structures. They were also encouraged to strengthen GBV prevention and referral networks and champion the implementation of Act 1121.
Mrs. Kpe congratulated Mamaga Dr Tsyrawa IV, the President, and the newly elected executives on their assumption of office. She commended the outgoing leadership, led by Mama Sename III, for their dedicated service and contribution to the Association. The Regional Director assured the new leadership that the Department of Gender remained ready to collaborate with the Association to advance the rights and wellbeing of women and girls in the region.
Mrs. Kpe emphasized that when Queen Mothers lead with purpose, communities become stronger and development becomes more inclusive. She challenged the new administration to be remembered for the girls it protects, the women it empowers, and the barriers it helps remove. The ceremony marked a significant step towards promoting women’s rights and girls’ protection in the Volta Region.
Key points
- Queenmothers in the Volta Region are being urged to champion women’s rights and girls’ protection.
- The Volta Regional Director of the Department of Gender, Mrs. Thywill Eyra Kpe, made the call at the handing-over and inaugural ceremony of the Volta Regional Queenmothers Association.
- The initiative aims to advance inclusive development and address critical issues affecting women and girls in the region.
