The Gender Center for Employment Development ( GenCED) has commended the president for his efforts to promote gender equality, but expressed concern that his administration has fallen short of its promise to ensure 30% representation of women in government.
Despite the president’s campaign pledge to implement affirmative action, the current ministerial appointments stand at only 16.7% female representation.
At the Post-Election forum on women’s participation and representation in Ghana’s 2024 election, Gifty Ofori, the programs, monitoring and evaluation officer of GenCED acknowledged the president’s progress in other areas, such as his recent presidential appointments, which achieved 50% female representation. However, she emphasized the need for consistent implementation of the 30% target across all sectors.
The call for increased female representation in governance is not unique to Ghana. Internationally, there is a growing recognition of the importance of women’s participation in decision-making processes.
The women’s group urged the president to take concrete steps to fulfill his promise and ensure that women are well-represented in the governance system.
According to her, to ensure the successful implementation of affirmative action, it’s crucial that the government raises public awareness about this policy. Simultaneously, the public must hold the government accountable for its promises and commitments.
By doing so, we can guarantee that the government stays true to its word and delivers on its pledge to promote gender equality and representation.
Report by Bernard K Dadzie; Greater Accra Region
