“We Have Been Excluded for So Long”: Female Traditional Leaders and the Politics of Inclusion in Ghana.

Traditional governance remains a critical site for negotiating gender and power in Africa. In Ghana, the Chieftaincy Act recognizes both men and women as traditional leaders, yet female leaders are excluded from regional and national Houses of Chiefs, limiting their influence on customary law and policy. This paper examines the Queenmother Association’s advocacy for inclusion and constitutional reform, exploring how gender norms and political institutions shape access to traditional authority. Drawing on qualitative interviews with queenmothers, chiefs, and registrars, the study argues that patriarchal structures within political institutions reinforce male dominance, creating a trickle-down effect in traditional spaces. Despite these barriers, female leaders employ collective strategies to assert legitimacy and challenge exclusion. The findings illuminate the intersection of gender, governance, and customary law, contributing to debates on political inclusion and gender equality in African traditional institutions.