By Naa Atwei Sowah
Women Advocacy Groups have called on President Akufo-Addo to ensure the appointment of about 60 percent of women to the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to bridge the gender disparity gap.
They further called on Parliament to pass the Affirmative Action and Gender Equality Bill to address the entrenched challenges women face in the political landscape.
Addressing the media in Accra on the need to increase women participation in local governance, Lead, NETRIGHT Secretariat, Patricia Akakpo, said systemic barriers which create marginalisation and vulnerability for women should receive immediate attention.
She expressed worry about Ghana’s failure to realise equal participation for women in national affairs.
According to the women advocacy groups, which consist of the Network for Women’s Rights in Ghana, NETRIGHT, Alliance for Women in Media, National Association of Local Authorities in Ghana, NALAG, Affirmative Action Bill Coalition, and the Women’s Manifesto Coalition, the trend in the yawning gender disparity in local governance is a major cause for concern.
The Lead at NETRIGHT Secretariat, Patricia Akakpo, stated that it is unacceptable that women are still underrepresented in decision-making, saying the issue still remains a matter of grave concern at the local level.
She said while some strides have been made to address the level of disparity, there has not been a comprehensive strategy in prioritising women’s equal access to leadership positions.
She therefore called on President Akufo-Addo to give priority to women in leadership positions.
Convenor of the Affirmative Action Bill Coalition, Sheila Menkah Premo, said stigmatisation is hampering the fight for women’s participation in local governance.
The convenor of the Alliance for Women in Media Africa, Shamima Muslim, urged the media to place utmost importance on the call for women’s participation in local governance.
General Secretary of the National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana, NALAG, Kokro Amankwah, said many issues account for the gender gap in local governance.
He added that decentralisation can only be achieved if policies for women’s rights are adhered to.
According to statistics, women representation in District Assemblies has never passed the 11 percent mark, which is far below the minimum 30 percent recommended by the UN. Additionally, data from the EC showed that only four-point-one percent of women were elected in the recently-held District Level Elections, with 12-point-eight percent in the Unit Committee elections.
