By Deborah Asantewaah SARFO
SEND Ghana, a non-governmental organisation, has called on President Akufo-Addo to act decisively and expidite the Affirmative Action bill’s passage, highlighting its importance in creating an equitable and inclusive society for all citizens.
In a press release, they stated that such swift action by the president would fulfil aspirations of the gender equity bill’s advocates and equally “set a powerful example of leadership and commitment to justice”.
“We urge you (President Akufo-Addo) to act swiftly and decisively to make this transformative legislation a reality, thus reinforcing Ghana’s dedication to equity and inclusive progress for all its citizens,” they stated.
Parliament on Tuesday, July 30, 2024 passed the long-awaited bill which seeks to effectively address social, cultural, economic and political gender imbalances in the country.
They also commended members of parliament for taking the bold step of passing the bill after several decades of parliamentary deliberations and scrutiny, adding that “it signifies an important milestone toward achieving gender equity and empowering women across all sectors of society”.
SEND Ghana further underscored the significance of making the bill a reality by saying it presents women an opportunity to take up positions and participate in leadership roles at all levels of governance.
Additionally, they stated that absence of the law has impeded women’s full involvement and representation at the decision-making table despite their vital contributions to the state and constituting 50.7 percent of the country’s population.
Highlighting key areas of decision-making where women are underrepresented, SEND Ghana points to parliament house with less than 15 percent of women – a percentage lower than the UN target for female participation in decision-making.
“While less than 15 pecent of Ghana’s 275-member parliament are women, below the 30 percent UN target, the Affirmative Action bill mandates equal representation and aims for at least 30 percent female participation in decision-making processes toward achieving the UN set targets.”
They emphasised that when the president assents to the bill it, will address systemic barriers and tend to enhance women’s participation in all spheres.
