ABANTU for Development and the Women Manifesto Coalition (WMC) join hands to congratulate Mrs Jean Mensah, Chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Ghana, for her sterling performance in the conduct of the 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections.
ABANTU and the WMC also extend their compliments Mrs Mensah on her success and send their best wishes to her for the future, while expressing their confidence that she will remain steadfast and focused in serving the country by providing a powerful voice in the area of governance and in supporting considerations of diversity and inclusiveness.
ABANTU and the WMC pledge to continue to work with great optimism that institutions of governance and other national institutions will recognize the added value that women bring through their effective leadership.
These were contained in a News Release issued on December 9, 2020 and signed by Dr Rose Mensah-Kutin, Executive Director, ABANTU for Development, a women’s rights policy advocacy organization.
According to the Release, the outcome of the December 7, 2020 Elections was a well-deserved success, following the meticulous preparation for and conduct of the elections and, by extension, a triumph for many other Ghanaian women and men, especially those who believe that gender inclusion and women’s heightened visibility and leadership are critical in national development.
The Release notes that ABANTU for Development has directed its work since 1999 to examining, scrutinizing and interrogating processes that perpetuate structural inequalities and exclusion in national management, and continues to build the capacity of women to participate in decision-making at all levels to enable them influence policies from a gender perspective for equality.
The Release adds that ABANTU has, therefore, worked to support endeavours for the promotion of gender sensitivity in leadership to address issues of inequalities as a matter of right and entitlements, and have always taken pride in the promotion of women to high profile positions, knowing that barring structural patriarchal challenges, women largely excel when given a chance in managing critical institutions of state.
According to the Release, Mrs Mensah’s success and leadership around the 2020 elections in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic gives recognition to her capacity, efficiency and strength of character as well as the remarkable work that women are performing in critical state institutions.
The Release notes, however, that even though there has been a nominal increase in the number of women ascending to leadership positions in various sectors of the country, the structural and systemic limitations and the many other challenges and barriers that women have to contend with, do hinder women’s progression to leadership positions in governance just as it is in other public institutions.
The Release says ABANTU for Development and WMC express the hope that in securing the constitutional mandate of the Electoral Commission, lives will be transformed through the delivery of relevant development policies, programmes and projects in the country.
Source: G.D. Zaney, Esq.
