The Affirmative Action Law ((AAL) Coalition has urged Ghanaians to support women candidates in the December 2024 elections and stop gender-based attacks in politics.
“We ask the public to refrain from gender-specific attacks and instead encourage the women standing on the ballot,” the Coordinator of the AAL Coalition, Becky Enyonam Ahadzi said.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday in Accra, the Coordinator of the AAL Coalition, Becky Enyonam Ahadzi called on voters to back women running for office and work towards a more inclusive political environment in Ghana.
She stated that women form more than 50% of Ghana’s population but are grossly underrepresented, adding that unless women have a voice at the table, issues affecting the majority will continue to be overlooked.
“Currently, women hold just 40 out of 276 parliamentary seats, a mere 14.55 per cent of the legislature. The new Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act now legally requires a minimum of 30 per cent of women in decision-making positions by 2026, rising to 50 per cent by 2030,” she explained.
Drawing on the Act’s provisions, Madam Ahadzi urged voters to support about 100 female parliamentary candidates in the general elections.
Complementing this legal framework, ABANTU for Development launched an election monitoring project targeting five districts across three regions including Adansi Asokwa in Ashanti, Ga West and Tema West in Greater Accra, and Birim Central and West Akim in the Eastern Region.
The Senior Programmes Officer of ABANTU, Mary Akromah stated that the project, supported by Star Ghana Foundation and the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, aims to create direct pathways for women’s political engagement.
“Our project is about creating opportunities for women to enter political leadership,” she stated.
The initiative unites political parties, civil society groups, media and development partners to support women candidates and expand political opportunities for women across the country.
Richard Aniagyei, ISD
