GHANA yesterday joined the rest of the world to mark the International Women’s Day (IWD).
IWD is marked globally to raise awareness and support for gender parity on March 8 every year and beyond, and the theme for this year is “Be Bold for Change”.
IT is for this reason that Today supports the call by Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) on government to, as a matter of urgency pass the Affirmative Action Bill and also ensure the appointment of 30 percent of women as chief executives in the district, municipal and metropolitan assemblies.
WE believe if the affirmative action bill is passed into law, it will provide legally mandated systems and policies to ensure women’s equal participation in the governance of this country.
THE bill in June last year received cabinet assent and has since been tabled before parliament awaiting passage. It seeks a 40 percent representation and participation of women in governance, public positions of power and decision-making.
THIS brings to the fore the need for government to reactivate and strengthen the gender desks at all MMDAs/MDAs to give more recognition and focus on women and gender issues in the design and implementation of public policies and programs.
GOVERNMENT must also ensure that the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection and the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) are well-resourced to engage in public education on some of the practices that are affront to the progression of women and girls’ empowerment.
FOR instance, we think that growing cases such as child marriage, witchcraft, widowhood rites, female genital mutilation, widowhood rites and widow inheritance, girl child betrothals and unintended consequences of dowry payments, among other hindrances must stop. Such social and societal nuisances do not guarantee the liberty/freedom of women and render females as secondary humans.
FOR example, available data suggests that in Ghana, 1 in 4 women (27 percent) marry before the age of 18, a situation which has affected the development of the girl-child.
THOUGH we do not have reliable data to fall on, it is visibly clear that ours is still a male dominated country despite the fact that about 51% of the population is made up of women. There are still questions about the low number of women in higher positions in the public service compared to men. Currently, among the 275 law makers in Ghana’s Parliament, only 37are women.
THE gaping gaps need to be closed so the rich potentials of women in our society could be effectively tapped for nation building. The early passing of the affirmative action bill into law stands to benefit our country’s development.
AND while we support the fact that the bill must be given the necessary attention it deserves, we also want to urge our women particularly, those in public office to evaluate and intensify their collective effort to advance the cause of women in the country.
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