WiLDAF urges political parties to adhere to gender equality

Accra, Jan. 11, GNA - A gender NGO, Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF Ghana), on

Monday reminded political parties to adhere to commitment to gender equal= ity and affirmative action at their

forthcoming congresses to elect national executives. In a statement signed by Ms Bernice Sam, National Programme Coordinator, WiLDAF Ghana, it noted that in a

few days the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Par= ty (NPP) would hold national

delegates' congresses to elect national executives. "Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF Ghana) and partners of the 'We Know Politics' project

wish them well believing that multi-party democracy and respect for individual rights have now become part of

Ghana's bedrock for sustainable development. "We are also taking this opportunity to remind the parties of their commitment to ensure at least 30 per cent

representation of women in their executive structures." It said this commitment was made in a communiqu=E9 agreed between th= e Institute of Economic Affairs and four

political parties with representation in Parliament on June 30, 2009 at Akosombo in the Eastern Region. "Interestingly, the NDC has an arduous task to prove its commitment to gender equality above the 30 per cent

representation in the "Akosombo Declaration". It said the party committed itself to 40 per cent representation of women contained in its 2008 Better Ghana

Manifesto, promises of President John Evans Atta Mills to Ghanaians in statements during the 2008 electioneering

campaigns, and also his State of the Nation address to Parliament on February 19, 2009. WiLDAF said the NPP on the other hand, whilst in government, had ratified the Protocol to the African Charter

on Human and Peoples Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa in 2007 and endorsed the African Union Solemn

Declaration on Gender Equality in 2004. "As these political parties go to congress, the onus is on them to demonstrate their commitment to gender

equality through election of gender-balanced national executives. "The number of women that emerges as executives at the political parties' congresses could further be a 'hint' of

how many women these political parties feature as parliamentary candidate= s, vice presidential running mates or

presidential candidates in the 2012 general elections."

WiLDAF said if the NDC and NPP failed to meet the target they set in the Communiqu=E9 of June 30 2009, "then

it will be an embarrassment to citizens of Ghana before the international=

community whom our governments have

made commitments demonstrated through ratification, signatures and report= ing on gender equality". It said alternatively when gender-balance was achieved at the congresses, it would be a feather in the cap of the

country as a demonstration of its commitment to the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination

against Women, the Beijing Declaration and the Millennium Development Goa= ls. "The fact is the performance of government towards advancement of gender equality and women's

empowerment in many areas including discriminatory cultural practices and=

political representation has not been

very encouraging." WiLDAF said 2010 marked an important milestone for the United Nations= as it reviewed the implementation of

the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action by states 15 years after its adoption. It noted that Ghana's Beijing State Report revealed the appalling statistics of women in political and public life

below the 30 per cent threshold agreed by States in Beijing. This year, it added, also marked the mid-point review of Ghana's commitment to the Commonwealth Plan of

Action for Gender Equality which called for 30 per cent representation of=

women in political life. "A journey of a thousand miles starts with the first step. As we journey towards the 2012 elections, these initial

steps - congresses - taken by political parties will determine how the en= d result of our general elections will be." WiLDAF said it was therefore imperative that as the NDC and NPP prepared for their national delegates'

congresses they considered these international treaties, the 1992 Constitutional provisions on gender equality, the

"Akosombo Declaration", work of women within the party and what Ghanaians=

desire, to further our democracy.