Women representation: ‘We must do more’ – Bawah Mogtari

More room for improvement in the area of women's representation, this is the verdict of a special aide to former President John Dramani Mahama, Joyce Bawah Mogtari.

“Ghana has done well! But we must do more to ensure that women are well represented everywhere!!” she wrote on Twitter.

She had quoted a tweet from Joe Jackson, the Director of Strategy and Business Operations at Dalex Finance. Jackson was referencing a BBC report which spoke about the 50th anniversary of voting rights for Swiss women.

“The fight for gender equity is about perseverance. We have a long way to go. I found out that Ghana gave women the right to vote long before Switzerland,” he said.

Records indicate that the first general election in then Gold Coast took place in 1954. Women had voting rights as far back as then and could also stand for office. Conversely, Swiss women could only vote in 1971.

The 15 June 1954 vote ended in a victory for Kwame Nkrumah's Convention People's Party, which won 71 of the 104 seats.

Over the years, however, there has been a sustained call for women to be given more opportunities to serve especially in governance. Ghana has had women climb the political ladder steadily under the fourth Republican Constitution.

Georgina Theodora Wood became the first woman Chief Justice, Joyce Bamford Addo as the first woman Speaker of Parliament, and Akosua Frema Osei-Opare as first woman Chief of Staff.

Ghana has done well! But we must do more to ensure that Women are well represented everywhere!! Thank you! https://t.co/KKzqrsrwRO

— Joyce Bawah Mogtari (@joyce_bawah) February 6, 2021