Accra: Ms Becky Enyonam Ahadzi, Coordinator of the Affirmative Action Law Coalition, has urged the public to protect and support female aspirants elected to positions, including legislators. She expressed concerns that some female Members of Parliament feel abandoned after receiving their mandates, highlighting that Ghana currently has 40 female MPs-30 from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and 10 from the New Patriotic Party (NPP). She noted that there are dismissive attitudes towards female leaders, with some questioning the need for further support after electing a female Vice President.
According to Ghana News Agency, the statements were made during a Post-Elections Consultative Forum in Accra, organized by the Network for Women's Rights (NETRIGHT) with support from the Star-Ghana Foundation. The event was attended by approximately 50 participants, including academics, civil society members, politicians, gender advocates, electoral observers, government agencies, media, and development partners, focusing on Ghana's democracy, accountability, and gender-responsive governance.
Ms Ahadzi emphasized that while having a female Vice President is a significant achievement, more effort is required to ensure women in leadership excel. She called for financial support for institutions like the Ministry of Gender to effectively implement the Affirmative Action Law, noting that initiatives require funding for various activities, including media campaigns. Additionally, she advocated for constitutional amendments to strengthen the Act and protect women in leadership roles.
Ms Cynthia Sunu, Programmes Manager at NETRIGHT-Ghana, highlighted the underrepresentation of women in Parliament, where they constitute only 14.1% of MPs, with one constituency yet to be declared. She called for structural changes to move beyond tokenism and prioritize women's representation in governance.
Dr Gloria Afful-Mensah, a senior lecturer at the University of Ghana, addressed the topic of 'Gender and Taxation,' pointing out that the now-scrapped electronic-transaction levy disproportionately affected women's businesses. She urged policymakers to consider gender differences in taxation policies.
Mr Frank Owusu Frimpong of the Ghana Union Movement criticized the predictability of election outcomes and called on the Electoral Commission to ensure timely delivery of electoral materials in future elections to avoid delays. He voiced concerns that election results appear predetermined, which should not be the case.
