GENDER EQUALITY AND INCLUSIVITY IN RESEARCH FUNDING POLICIES AND PRACTICES: EVIDENCE FROM GHANA

Abstract

Gender equality and inclusivity are increasingly recognised as central to the effectiveness and sustainability of national research and innovation systems. Yet evidence on how these commitments are translated into research funding governance in low- and middle-income contexts remains limited. This study examined the extent to which gender equality and inclusivity are embedded in national research funding policies and formal funding procedures and instruments in Ghana. The study adopted a qualitative institutional analysis design, drawing on a systematic review of national development, science, technology and innovation (STI), and research funding policy documents, complemented by a comparative analysis of selected international research funding frameworks. Insights from a national dissemination and validation workshop with policymakers, research funders, and research institutions were used to contextualise the findings and refine interpretation and recommendations. Findings revealed that while gender equality is widely acknowledged within Ghana’s national and organisational policy frameworks, it is weakly operationalised within research funding systems. Gender considerations are largely framed as aspirational principles rather than embedded within funding instruments, eligibility criteria, evaluation processes, or accountability mechanisms. Organisational gender policies tend to operate in parallel to research funding governance, limiting their influence on resource allocation and leadership within funded research. The analysis further highlighted the absence of intersectional approaches, limited use of gender disaggregated data, and weak mechanisms for addressing implicit bias in funding decision making. Comparative insights demonstrate that more gender-responsive research funding systems are characterised by deliberate institutional design, including mandatory requirements, targeted funding instruments, and robust monitoring frameworks. The study concluded that advancing gender equality in Ghana’s research funding system requires a shift from gender aware policy commitments to gender-transformative funding governance. Embedding gender equality and inclusivity within the design, implementation, and accountability structures of research funding is essential not only for equity, but also for strengthening research quality, relevance, and national innovation capacity.