News:
July 24, 2013
The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection will by the end of September, lay an Affirmative Action draft bill before Parliament to help address the gender imbalances in the society.
Sector Minister, Nana Oye Lithur announced this at the 6th Biennial Conference of District Assembly Women. “The law would address the startling gender inequalities in the society and ensure the full inclusiveness of women in the decision making process.”
The conference brought together women across the country to discuss the district assembly elections in 2014 among other issues that affects women in the communities.
The Minister said a validation workshop had been held to agree on certain issues, including submission of the bill for cabinet approval and lobbying, which is scheduled from August to September.
She said the Ministry firmly believes that an equal representation of women and men in decision making would reflect a more accurate composition of the society.
According to Nana Oye Lithur the law is the only way for Ghana to attain gender equality with respect to women’s participation in decision making, since it provides legally mandated systems, structures and policies to ensure women’s equal participation.
“There is every indication therefore that the passage of the affirmative action law is a strategy to achieve gender equality,” she stressed.
She noted that the law would hasten women’s empowerment which would eventually contribute to poverty reduction and ultimately to sustainable national development.
Source : GNA