Ghana's trailblazing politico earns PhD after decades of fighting gender barriers

Dr Victoria Lakshmi Hamah has been awarded a PhD in Public Administration from the University of Ghana Business School. Her research focuses on the barriers women face in politics, particularly in Ghana's legislative system. The degree was officially conferred on February 10, 2026, marking a new milestone in her long-standing advocacy for gender equality.

Dr Hamah's dissertation explores how institutional structures, political culture, and power imbalances limit women's participation in governance. She argues that systemic hostility often undermines their influence, even when they hold office. Her own experience as Ghana's Deputy Minister of Communications until 2013 reflects these challenges—she left amid controversy and later aligned with the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).

In 2015, she established the Hamah Foundation to support women and girls through education, leadership training, and economic programmes. The organisation aims to create opportunities in a system that frequently sidelines women. Five years later, she founded the Progressive Organisation for Women's Advancement (POWA), which specifically addresses the needs of women navigating hostile political and professional environments.

Dr Hamah's political career has seen both setbacks and successes. After losing the Jomoro parliamentary seat in 2020, she campaigned again in 2024 and won. Throughout, she has maintained that women's political roles must be actively safeguarded—not just encouraged.

With her PhD now complete, Dr Hamah continues to combine academic research with hands-on advocacy. Her work through the Hamah Foundation and POWA directly tackles the obstacles identified in her studies. The 2024 parliamentary victory further strengthens her platform to push for structural change in Ghana's political landscape.