By: Maltiti Sayida Sadick
As Ghana commemorates International Women’s Day 2025 under the theme “Accelerate Action,” Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) are renewing calls for the government to implement the quotas for women representation outlined in the Affirmative Action Act. The law, which was passed eight months ago, mandates a gradual increase in women’s participation in decision-making roles across all sectors.
In an interview on the GTV Breakfast Show, Becky Enyonam Ahadzi of the Affirmative Action Coalition emphasized the need for swift action, pointing out that the Gender Equity Committee tasked with overseeing the implementation of the law and the Legislative Instrument (LI) for both public and private institutions is still pending. “Women are waiting for the LI to enable institutions to fully comply with the affirmative action law,” she said.
The Affirmative Action Act sets ambitious targets for female representation: a 30% quota from 2024 to 2026, rising to 35% between 2027 and 2028, and 40% by 2029. As of now, however, women’s appointments under the current administration have only reached 23.21%, but these figures have been lumped together and are not broken down by individual institutions, making it difficult to assess actual representation across the board.
Becky Enyonam urged President John Mahama to lead by example in adhering to the quotas, stressing that his example would encourage other heads of institutions and officials to follow suit. “The president sets the tone, and if he adheres to these quotas, it will be easier for district assemblies and private institutions to follow,” she added.
Mathilda Ayineboma Ayamga, Programme Advisor at NORSAAC, a leading women’s rights organization, echoed this call. She highlighted NORSAAC’s ongoing efforts to empower women to take up leadership roles and emphasized how the Affirmative Action Act could further advance this mission. “We’ve been empowering women to take up leadership, and we see the affirmative action law as a powerful tool to increase female representation,” she said.
For this year’s International Women’s Day, NORSAAC has organized a walk and several community-level engagements, along with mentorship programs to inspire women and girls to pursue leadership roles. Becky Enyonam also noted that NORSAAC aims to collaborate with the media to raise awareness of the importance of gender equity and educate the public on the specifics of the Affirmative Action Law.
With the 2024-2026 target of 30% female representation rapidly approaching, the push for a swift and effective rollout of the law remains critical for achieving gender parity in Ghana’s leadership structures.
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