International Development Grant

Women's Voice and Leadership - Ghana

Project Number: CA-3-D004559001

Status: Terminating

Country/Region:

Ghana 100.00%

Maximum Contribution: $5,000,000.00

Start Date: March 25, 2019

End Date: July 31, 2024

Duration: 5.4 years

Project Description

This project is part of Canada’s Renewed Women’s Voice and Leadership (RWVL) Program. It supports local and regional women’s rights organizations (WROs) lesbian bisexual transgender queer and intersex plus (LBTQI+) groups and feminist networks working to promote the rights of women and girls and advance gender equality globally. It provides multi-year core funding and rapid responsive funding strengthens institutional capacity and bolsters feminist movements as WROs and feminist movements are critical change agents. The Program continues to respond to the globally recognized and significant gap in funding and support for WROs and feminist movements worldwide. It includes enhanced support for WROs LBTQI+ organizations and women human rights defenders (WHRDs) working in crisis- and conflict-affected settings and a more intentional approach to reaching structurally excluded groups. This includes but is not limited to LBTQI+ communities women and girls with disabilities Indigenous women and girls and young feminists. This project is implemented by Plan International Canada and Plan International Ghana. It aims to support up to 24 small- and medium-sized local women's rights organizations to deliver services to advance gender equality and better advocate for changes in policies and legislation that negatively impact women and their rights. Also up to 65 local women's rights organizations benefit from smaller grants designed to support innovative approaches creating lasting contributions for women and girls and respond to emerging issues. This includes challenging harmful and discriminatory practices and social norms in Ghana. Also the project is also supporting 2 national women's rights networks WiLDAF and NETRIGHT to enhance their collective voice to advocate for Ghanaian women's and girls' rights and ensure the sustainability of the women's movement in Ghana. The COVID-19 response reduces the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the rights of the

Expected Results

Les résultats escomptés de ce projet comprennent : 1) l'amélioration de la gestion la viabilité la performance et l’innovation des organisations locales de défense des droits des femmes au Ghana; 2) le renforcement de l’offre de services et de plaidoyer de qualité par les organisations de défense des droits des femmes pour faire progresser l'égalité des genres; 3) l'amélioration de la collaboration l'action collective et l'innovation des organisations locales de défense des droits des femmes et des plateformes pour faire progresser l’égalité des genres et les droits des femmes et des filles au Ghana.

Progress & Results Achieved

Results achieved at end of project: (1) successfully supported 81 women’s rights organizations (WROs) and networks by providing 114 grants to enhance their delivery of gender-transformative and innovative programming on pertinent gender equality issues including Gender Based Violence transformation of power relations in community leadership and chieftaincy protecting vulnerable women accused of witchcraft addressing menstrual health taboos combating child marriage supporting persons living with HIV engaging men as change agents and creating safe spaces for adolescents corners. etc.; (2) successfully supported 21 WROs with multi-year grants and two networks with organizational development grants to improve their organizational and technical capacity in administration resource management and external engagements (3) successfully supported WROs and networks in Ghana with strengthened agency to advocate on 26 key gender equality policies especially the Affirmative Action and Gender Equality Bill which was passed by parliament at project’s end in July 2024; (4) provided additionally funds to support WROs to engage beneficiaries during the COVID-19 pandemic and undertake activities such as public education campaigns and the provision of personal protective equipment such as face masks liquid soap and hand sanitizers.

Key Information

Executing Agency:
Plan International Canada

Reporting Organization:
Global Affairs Canada

Program:
WGM Africa

Last Modified:
September 19, 2025

Development Classifications

DAC Sector:

Women's rights organisations and movements and government institutions 100%

Aid Type: Contributions to specific-purpose programmes and funds managed by implementing partners

Collaboration: Bilateral

Finance Type: Aid grant excluding debt reorganisation

Selection Mechanism:
Department-Initiated

Policy Markers
Level 2 Gender equality
Level 1 Participatory development and good governance
Major Funding (>$1M)
Budget Breakdown
2018-04-01 to 2019-03-31 $5,000,000 CAD
Geographic Information
000";Budget Type:Original;Start Date:2019-04-01;End Date:2020-03-31;Value Date:2019-03-25;Value:"$1
Reference ID: 315