The Government of Ghana announced with deep regret the passing of Her Excellency Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, former First Lady and founder of the 31st December Women’s Movement (31st DWM), on Thursday, October 23, after a short illness. The Ministry of Government Communications extended its deepest condolences to her immediate family, describing her loss as monumental for the nation.
Revered as the ‘Iron Lady’ of Ghanaian politics, Nana Konadu was the longest-serving First Lady, serving briefly in 1979 and then from 1981 to 2001. She was a trailblazer, the first woman to run for president in Ghana, and a tireless advocate for women’s empowerment.
Her legacy includes founding the 31st DWM, which mobilised over two million women, established more than 870 pre-schools, ran literacy and health programmes, and championed legal reforms, including the Intestate Succession Law (PNDCL 111) and Ghana’s early ratification of the UNCRC.
Even after her First Lady tenure, she remained a fearless political force, serving as NDC First Vice Chairperson, challenging the party leadership in 2011, and later founding the National Democratic Party (NDP), through which she became the first woman to contest Ghana’s presidency in 2016.
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Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings leaves behind a legacy of courage, social justice, and women’s empowerment, inspiring generations of Ghanaians.
