Panellists and participants at an inter-generational dialogue on the need for an Affirmative Action (AA) Law to increase women’s participation in decision making positions in the country have threatened that if the bill is not passed by 2023, women and women’s groups will not participate in the 2024 elections.
According to them, the women’s movement for gender equality and equity was the longest-running movement in the country but the issue is consistently ignored by the people in power who do not have the political will to ensure equal participation of women in decision making positions.
The dialogue which was organised by the AA (Gender Equality) Bill coalition with support from Fredrich Ebert Stiftung brought together representatives from civil society groups and women’s right organisations, among others.
Affirmative Action is a temporary mechanism aimed at removing discrimination and improving the rights of marginalised groups who have been historically disadvantaged.
Ghana’s Affirmative Action Law seeks to remove the historical low representation of women in all decision-making spaces while promoting democracy and development through effective participation of all citizens.
In addition, it seeks to promote women’s representation to a minimum of 40 per cent in all policy making spaces.
The drafting of Ghana’s Affirmative Action Law began as far back as the year 2011. However, till date, the Bill has still not been passed.
