Africa-Press – Ghana. The Women’s Voice and Leadership Project, in partnership with NETRIGHT and WiLDAF, is conducting a joint advocacy initiative on the Affirmative Action Bill in collaboration with the AA Bill Coalition to raise awareness about the necessity of passing the Bill into law with support from Global Affairs Canada.
The group is urging Parliament to pass the Bill before its tenure ends.
Speaking on Ghanakoma morning show on Akoma 87.9fm in Kumasi with Sir John, some of the Civil Society Organisations on the show said an Affirmative Action Law presents itself as the guaranteed way for bringing about equal participation in governance, public and private spaces.
Executive Director, Windows of Hope, Elizabeth Adubofuor said, after years of independence, there is ample justification for Ghana to take urgent action in passing an Affirmative Action Law to afford equal rights to the marginalised, especially women, whose contribution to national endeavours has been immense.
Mrs Adubofuor, who is also the Ashanti Regional focal person for NETRIGHT, noted further that currently, Ghana is listed among the overwhelming 82 percent of African countries found in the very high discrimination category and that this is happening in spite of the fact that the country was the first in Africa, South of the Sahara, to have instituted a legislated Affirmative Action Act in 1959.
“This allowed 10 women to represent the regions in the country in the then Legislature.
This bold initiative, which occurred long before the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), Beijing Platform for Action.
Executive Director Ups Avenue for Development and Member of NETRIGHT, Joana Pankah, noted that this Affirmative Action Bill had raised hope in the equality discourse, but disappeared in the political turmoil that engulfed Ghana, thereafter.
“Ghanaian women’s checkered history in the representation and participation in both local and national levels as well documented, making gender-based exclusion in public life a major deficit.
Ghana has not been able to meet the minimum 30 percent UN recommended threshold in representation, adding that this is in spite of the progress made in making women more visible in high profile postings and political positioning.
Executive Director Paradigm Foundation and member of NETRIGHT, Esther Daley Matey, said Ghana continues to grapple with Gender inequality practices contributing to the country’s failure to give meaning to the expanded notion of citizenship.
As Election 2024 approaches and reflecting on the long road travelled by Ghana’s attempts to have an Affirmative Action Law, she reminded government and policy makers about the centrality of women’s rights in promoting Democratic Governance and national development.
“The issue of parity in women’s participation in policymaking structures should be a core concern and good governance,” she said.
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