‘Need for women's representation in decision making’

Nana Oye Lithur, Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, has called for greater representation of women in decision-making, to bridge the gap of gender inequality.

Nana Oye Lithur noted that women’s representation in politics was weak, compared to other Sub-Saharan African countries such as Cameroon and Senegal, stressing that only 10.9 per cent seats in Parliament are held by women, with an average percentage of 22.3 percent in sub-Saharan Africa.

The Minister made the call at the inaugural gender dialogue to promote gender equality, and the launch of the 40th anniversary of the National Women’s Machinery.

The event, which brought together women groups across the country, was organized by the Ministry with support from the African Development Bank.

The dialogue discussed issues such as affirmative action, child prostitution, street children, early and forced marriages and unpaid care work and adoption, and charted the way forward in addressing the problems.

The forum also discussed post-2015 Millennium Development Goals, sustainable development goals, cyber safety for children and property rights of women and gender and social protection issues in the oil and energy sector.

She commended government for recognizing the role of women in decision-making, adding that currently women formed 29 per cent of Ministers, 23 of Deputy Ministers, 16 per cent of Chief Directors, and 8 per cent of District, Municipal and Metropolitan Chief Executives.

Nana Oye Lithur said the World Bank indicators in 2012 showed that female labour force participation rate of 69 per cent was slightly lower than that of male being 72 per cent.

“Indicators from the World Development in 2013 shows that Ghana has recorded a sharp decrease in maternal mortality, that is 350 per 100000 live births in 2010 and steady decline of adolescent fertility that is 60 births per 1000 women ages 15- 19” she added.

She said the National Women Machinery over the years had helped to create a legal environment, a conducive for women’s empowerment.

Nana Oye Lithur said the Ministry had implemented the National Gender Policy to address Gender Equality, Equity and Empowerment of Women for national development, sponsored affirmative action bill, and had closed down a witch camp at Bonyase near Tamale.