To increase women’s representation in governance institutions, ABANTU for Development, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) that advocates for gender equality and policies, has urged for the Affirmative Action Bill to be passed before the general elections of 2024.
During a press conference held at Spintex-Accra on Friday, June 16, 2024, ABANTU’s Resource Mobilisation and Sustainability Manager, Madam Hamida Harrison, expressed concerns regarding the possibility of further eroding the already low representation of women in Parliament in light of the recent primaries held by Ghana’s two major political parties.
“With these two political parties occupying all the seats in Parliament over the past seven elections, it is likely impossible for Ghana to maintain the current 14.5% level of women’s representation in Parliament after the 2024 elections,” she stated.
According to her, only 40 of the 275 members of Parliament are female, which puts Ghana below both the sub-Saharan African average of 27% and the global average of 26.7%.
“Persistent inequality between men and women in decision-making roles raises concern about achieving effective social transformation and the democratisation process,” she stated.
She went on to say that equality and nondiscrimination are fundamental to democratic ideals and are recognised in Ghana’s Constitution. But the true worth of democracy is undermined when institutions like political parties and the state fail to uphold these principles.
Madam Harrison emphasised that in order to advance the agenda and change deeply ingrained views, the Affirmative Action Bill must be passed. To do this, several stakeholders must be involved and the media must play a critical role in advocating for this legislation.
“As policy decisions on gender equality and equity within governance have profound consequences for current and future generations, the media plays a vital role in educating the public and shaping opinions,” she said.
In order to promote a more inclusive and representative political system and boost the participation of women in parliament, she urged parliament to enact the much anticipated Affirmative Action Bill before to the 2024 election.
The long-pending Affirmative Action Bill in Ghana’s Parliament seeks to increase the representation of women, people with disabilities, and other marginalised groups in positions of authority and decision-making.