Women’s participation in local governance and peace building is essential for inclusive development and sustainable peace. However, women in the West Gonja and Lambussie districts have historically remained significantly underrepresented in both elected and appointed positions within local government structures and in formal peace building mechanisms. Despite national commitments to gender inclusivity, deep-seated socio-cultural norms, financial constraints, political party dynamics, and gendered disinformation continue to hinder women’s meaningful participation in decision-making spaces. Findings from this study highlight that women have consistently struggled to secure elected positions in district assemblies over multiple election cycles. In most district-level elections in West Gonja and Lambussie, no women have been elected as assembly members, reflecting persistent structural and systemic barriers. While there have been occasional gains—such as the exceptional case in 2006 when West Gonja recorded eight elected female assembly members, the highest in the country at the time—such progress has not been sustained, mainly due to weak institutional support, limited political party backing, and the growing monetisation of local elections. Similarly, women’s roles in peace building remain primarily informal, with minimal representation in formal structures such as Regional and District Peace Councils. While women frequently contribute to grassroots peace building efforts, they are rarely integrated into official decision-making processes, further marginalising their voices in conflict resolution and local governance.