A Practitioner in Peace Building, Governance and Gender, for Influence and Impact, Magdalene Kannae, says by ratifying International treaties such as the Universal Declaration on Human and People’s Rights, Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights, Gender and Children’s Policy, and the Beijing Platform for Action, Ghana has demonstrated goodwill towards ensuring women participation in governance.
She however regretted “enforcement has not been effective”, calling on government to take a cue from other African countries such as Uganda, Senegal, and South Africa that have allocated quotas to marginalised groups such as women and persons with disability to ensure their full participation in governance.
Madam Kannae was speaking on “We the People”, a monthly local governance programme organised by the Ghana Journalists Association, GJA, in partnership with the STAR –GHANA Foundation.
She challenged government to develop more gender responsive initiatives that will effectively address gender inequalities, by strengthening capacities of marginalised groups on public speaking and resource mobilisation.
Madam Kannae noted that socialisation which confines women to take a back bench role, hinders their ability to mobilise resources and logistics for the task.
She added that the age long perception of associating politics with masculinity is also a factor that contributes to the under representation of women in governance.
Madam Kannae commended efforts of some Civil Society Organizations such as ABANTU for Development, WILDAF, and Action Aid, for having strengthened capacities of women in regions of the North, to participate in governance.
Mrs. Selina Avevor, who is a beneficiary of such capacity initiatives called for more training programmes which she described as a tool to encourage more women to participate in politics.
Mrs. Avevor said being in governance has provided her with many learning opportunities. Figures at the December 2019, District Assembly elections show out of a total of 18,500 candidates who contested only 909 were women.
Story filed by Rachel Kakraba.
