President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has restated his commitment to ensuring the passage of the Affirmative Action Bill into law.
The President said this when a delegation of the African Women Leaders Network (AWLN), Ghana Chapter, called on him at the Jubilee House.
The leadership of AWLN was at the Jubilee House to formally introduce the Network to the President and garner his support in addressing critical gender-related issues in the nation.
President Akufo-Addo acknowledged the importance of intense advocacy and cross-party collaboration to facilitate the Bill’s passage into law.
He advised AWLN Ghana and other gender related groups to develop effective strategies through dialogue and advocacy to win the cooperation of Parliament to pass the Bill into law when tabled in Parliament.
Madam Lariba Zuweira Abudu, the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, said the Bill was ready to be placed before Parliament.
She said her Ministry was finalising a new Gender Policy that needed to be added to the Bill.
Dr Charity Binka, Chairperson of AWLN, Ghana Chapter, commended President Akufo-Addo for his exemplary leadership as an advocate for gender equality.
She said Ghana had made some strides in the promotion of gender equality and empowerment, evident in the appointment of women into high positions such as Chief Justice, two of whom were appointed under the current government.
She, however, was concerned about the low representation of women in leadership at both national and local levels.
Dr Binka said with women’s representation of just 14.5 per cent in Parliament, Ghana was still behind in reaching the UN’s Women’s quota of 30 per cent representation at all levels of decision-making.
Sheila Minkah Premo, Convenor of the Affirmative Action Bill Coalition, highlighted the importance of the Bill with reference to Article 17(4) of the 1992 Constitution.
She said the Coalition and other civil society organisations had ongoing engagements with Parliament to pass the Bill into law.
An Affirmative Action Law will require government to ensure equitable gender representation at all levels.
Source: GNA
