News:
October 14, 2022
The Rt. Hon Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin has said the much talked about peace, justice and sustainable development would continue to elude the world without gender equality. According to him all of us must act collectively to ensure that no one is left behind in any aspect of our lives as the legislature is the heart and the life blood of democracy and good governance.
“Parliament is the home of the governed – that is the people and its composition ought to be a true reflection, and a mirror of the people it represents. This means that all the people must be equally represented, heard and given equal opportunities. Gender sensitive parliament is not about equality in numbers alone but a healthy parity in all aspect and perspective of gender”.
The Rt. Hon Speaker made this remarks on Thursday, October 13, 2022 when he addressed the on-going 145th Assembly of the Inter Parliamentary Union in Rwanda Kigali. And to show case that Ghana is in tune with the theme for the Assembly, the delegation of Ghana has four female and four male. It’s on the theme, “Gender Equality and Gender-sensitive Parliaments as Drivers of change for a more Resilient and peaceful world”
Gender equality he indicated, has been and continues to be a fundamental developmental and sustainability imperative and not just a human right concern given the current demographics of more than fifty percept of the global population being females; the equal participation of women in whatever society does is an imperative.
And there is clear evidence of global effort to achieve gender equality at a snail pace, the call in this Assembly for them to cure epilepsy and to speed up the pace is the right call and Ghana fully supports it, Mr. Bagbin emphasised. The Speaker told the Assembly, women empowerment initiatives found expression in the 1992 constitution and has produced two women chief justices in a role and a first lady speaker, one of his predecessors of parliament.
And since 1993, legislation on women property and spousal rights, financial inclusion and leadership gained prominence in the government and parliament’s agenda and in daily national discuss and parliament is currently working on a number of legislations in this direction. The increase in the number of women in Parliament of that of 11 per cent to the current 14.5 per cent is part of the efforts. This is definitely not much progress and unacceptable.
Since women constitute majority of the world’s population their interest must find expression in whatever we do, this is a panacea to ensure a more resilient and peaceful world, the reverse produces bitter poor non develop world, “evidence in today’s world speaks volume for its”, he said.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com/Rwanda/Kigali