Progressive People’s Party (PPP) yesterday joined thousands of Ghanaian women across the country to mark this year’s International Women’s Day, with a call on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to review and implement existing affirmative action measures for women.
The PPP charged government and its agencies, political parties and relevant public and private institutions to take actions that will ensure their active commitment to improving the current situation of women’s low representation in politics and public office positions at all levels.
According to the party, the rights of women were routinely trampled upon by families and communities across the country in the name of “tradition and culture.”
In a statement signed and issued yesterday in Accra by the National Women Coordinator of the PPP, Mrs. Vivian Tetteh and copied to Today, the party called on President Akufo-Addo “who has been a great human rights activist, to work to change this reality.”
“The Progressive People’s Party wishes to reaffirm its commitment to ensuring that the rights of women in Ghana are upheld,” the statement noted.
The statement recounted that the molestation and stripping naked of an alleged thief in Ashanti Region and the mistreatment meted out to a young woman who worked at Marwako Restaurant in Accra are but a few examples of the trampled rights of “our women”.
“To say the least, we have not been happy with the way government and the police have handled these two incidents.
“We expect swifter and stricter enforcement of laws when it comes to the infringement of the rights of our women who are mostly described as the “weaker sex”, yet not weaker in mental and intellectual capabilities” ,PPP in the statement stressed.
It disclosed that the PPP’s Political Platform includes job creation, education and healthcare initiatives that will seek to lighten the burden “our women carry in our society”.
To spearhead this agenda successfully, the statement encouraged women of Ghana to embrace the progressive, humanistic and common sense attitude of this new party and help grow the party stronger.
It stressed that “we want women to join not just as members and supporters, but to move to the front – there is plenty of room – as leaders. As the saying goes, the early bird catches the worm.”
The statement further called on all Ghanaians to work harder and more diligently to implement affirmative action policies and programmes to give Ghanaian women opportunities to develop their potentials in life.
According to the statement, it was a well-known fact that Ghana as a country has been quick to approve and give its assent to international conventions and treaties that purport to promote women, their well-being and affirmative action.
“Yet, we have very few women in leadership positions in business, politics, religious organizations, etc. Very little is done to make sure that the treaties we sign are implemented to the core,” it maintained.
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