The Chairperson for the Committee of Gender, Children and Social Welfare of Ghana’s Parliament Helen Adjoa Ntoso has admitted that it will be very difficult for the country to achieve thirty percent women representation in Parliament.
According to her the last time Ghana hosted the Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU) meeting in Ghana when it comes to global rating, out of the one hundred and ninety-three (193) parliaments, Ghana was placed at one hundred and forty-seventh (147) position.
“We are not doing well when it comes to women representation both in parliament, outside Parliament; and the political parties have a role to play in this. If we are not able to make it in Parliament at least it should be with the appointment of political officers.
We should achieve it through political appointments; and that is the agenda of John Dramani Mahama. When he comes to office he will ensure we achieve this in his next government.”
The Committee chair further noted that she wished in the next ninth Parliament we can have more women. If you look at the UN target, by 2025 we should achieve a thirty percent representation and in 2028 it should be fifty percent but we are moving at a slow pace of thirteen percent (13).
Again, you know when it comes to elections, women are more vulnerable than their female counterparts, thus a sure way of achieving the target is to adopt the quota system.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com
