Women’s Economic Advancement for Collective Transformation (WEACT)

Brief Description

WEACT is a five-year initiative funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and supported by OXFAM under the Innovations for Women’s Economic Empowerment in Ghana (IWEEG) program. Now in its final phase, the project aims to improve women’s economic empowerment, well-being, and participation in the shea and cocoa value chains. It addresses systemic barriers that limit women’s engagement in commercial activities outside the home.

Implemented in collaboration with seven key partners—including Friends of the Nation, WiLDAF, Tungteiya Women’s Association, Shea Network, NORSAAC, and Viam—WEACT operates across nine districts: Savelugu, Mion, West Gonja, Garu, Sissala West, Amenfi West, Aowin, and Sefwi-Wiawso.

Goal
To advance women’s economic empowerment and equitable participation in the cocoa and shea value chains by removing structural and social barriers.

Objectives

• Improve women’s access to and participation in economic opportunities within the cocoa and shea sectors.
• Promote gender equity and tackle the burdens of unpaid care work.
• Facilitate community dialogue and support local governance to challenge harmful social norms.
• Raise national awareness on time poverty and advocate for women’s right to rest and leisure.

Key Achievements

• Access and Control Over Resources: 88.7% of women in the shea and cocoa farming zones now have access to resources—up from 36.9%—and control over resources increased from 20.8% to 74.4%.
• Household Decision-Making: Women’s participation in household decision-making rose from 29.8% to 77.4%, reflecting a shift toward shared governance.
• Economic Engagement: 75% of women in the cocoa zone and 77.7% in the shea zone are actively engaged in economic activities, supported by time-, labor-, and energy-saving technologies.
• Awareness of Unpaid Care Work: Among men in the shea zone, awareness of the burden of unpaid care work rose from 35.7% to 83.9%. In the cocoa zone, women’s awareness increased from 53.6% to 94.6%.
• Household Equity: Between 96.4% and 100% of GMF households now embrace equitable sharing of responsibilities among women, men, boys, and girls.
• Behavioral and Social Change: Locally driven technical innovations and community dialogue contributed to transformative social norms, with by-laws established to address negative cultural practices.

Project Duration: 2024 – 2029

Donor