Bill in Ghana targets innovation enrichment, focusing on gender equality and promoting tech startups spearheaded by women
Ghana is making strides to position itself as a leading startup hub in West Africa. The country's Innovation and Startups Bill, currently under deliberation, could be a game-changer, attracting investment, fostering innovation, and creating sustainable jobs for future generations.
The bill provides startups with tax incentives, streamlined registration, and easier access to funding. It aims to promote creativity, innovation, and new technologies, boost competitiveness, and add substantial value.
One of the key focuses of the Innovation and Startups Bill is gender inclusivity and the growth of female-led startups. While the exact text of the bill specific to gender inclusivity is not detailed, it is framed within a supportive ecosystem.
A Supportive Ecosystem for Female-Led Startups
The bill is supported by a call for a supportive policy environment to enhance inclusion and growth of startups, particularly female-led ones. This includes the provision of toolkits to ensure inclusion of women, capacity building, and funding support for female entrepreneurs.
The Gender-Responsive Toolkit, developed in collaboration with GIZ and GFA Consulting Group, promotes inclusion of women and persons with disabilities within the innovation space. National bodies like the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP) align with these objectives, focusing on capacity building, access to funding, and ecosystem strengthening, particularly for women entrepreneurs.
The broader governmental commitment, including the Gender Equity Act (2024), aims for gender equity targets in decision-making and representation, complementing innovation initiatives by progressively increasing women’s participation in public and private sectors.
The Role of Women in Ghana's Tech Sector
Women are integral to Ghana's micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) sector, yet only 44% of local MSMEs are owned by women. Adjei argues that increasing women's involvement in tech will introduce diverse perspectives, fuel innovation, and contribute to Ghana's digital transformation.
However, the World Bank report indicates that most women-owned businesses in Ghana still struggle with access to key resources needed to enhance productivity and increase revenue, particularly in rural areas. Eyison believes that ensuring equitable access to funding for women-led startups is crucial for increasing female participation in tech.
The Future of Ghana's Tech Industry
The Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT (GI-KACE) has played a key role in empowering women and girls in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), promoting gender equity.
If passed into law, the Innovation and Startups Bill is expected to increase the number of women entrepreneurs in Ghana's tech industry. However, it's essential that the bill is not just a policy on paper but a fully functional system with clear timelines, enforcement mechanisms, and accountability structures, as emphasized by Ethel Delali Cofie.
The bill, if properly executed, could include focused initiatives such as grants, specialized training, and leadership opportunities for women in tech to address the gender imbalance. Ghana is aiming to become a leading African nation in terms of emerging technology companies, and the Innovation and Startups Bill could be a significant step towards achieving this goal.
References:
- Ghana's Innovation and Startups Bill: What You Need to Know
- Ghana's Innovation and Startups Bill: A Game Changer for Female-Led Startups
- Ghana's Innovation and Startups Bill: A Step Towards Gender Inclusivity
- Ghana's Innovation and Startups Bill: Empowering Women in Tech
- The Innovation and Startups Bill, currently under deliberation in Ghana, aims to foster a supportive ecosystem for female-led startups, providing toolkits, capacity building, and funding support for female entrepreneurs.
- National bodies like the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP) align with these objectives, focusing on capacity building, access to funding, and ecosystem strengthening, particularly for women entrepreneurs.
- The bill is supported by a call for a policy environment that enhances inclusion and growth of startups, particularly female-led ones, in the realm of science, health-and-wellness, women's health, finance, entrepreneurship, business, technology, policy-and-legislation, and politics.
- The broader governmental commitment, including the Gender Equity Act (2024), aims for gender equity targets in decision-making and representation, complementing innovation initiatives by progressively increasing women’s participation in public and private sectors.
- If passed into law, the Innovation and Startups Bill could include focused initiatives such as grants, specialized training, and leadership opportunities for women in tech, addressing the gender imbalance and contributing to Ghana's position as a leading African nation in terms of emerging technology companies.
