Pass the affirmative action bill to ensure gender equality - OTAABIG

The Oti Region Affirmative Action Bill Group (OTAABIG) working in partnership with ABANTU for Development is calling on the government to fast track the passage of the Affirmative Action Bill as it believes when the Bill is passed, it would go a long way to ensure the achievement of gender equality in political, social, economic, and educational spheres in society.

During a ZOOM Meeting, as measures to adhere to the social distancing directive from the President of Ghana to contain the spread of COVID-19 pandemic, the group stated that, the passage of the Affirmative Action Bill will accelerate Ghana’s efforts at meeting Sustainable Development Goal 5 target of Gender Parity in decision making by 2030 and the African Union Gender Agenda of 50-50 representation of both men and women in decision making.

The organization also revealed that, the Affirmative Action which is a set of needed actions is designed to correct history of systematic discrimination and exclusion of women in the decision-making process, adding that, Women’s equal participation in decision making is not only a demand for simple justice or democracy but also a necessary condition for their interest to be taken into account.

OTAABIG added that, without the active participation of women and the incorporation of women’s perspective at all levels of decision making, the goals of equality, development and peace, cannot be achieved, and development interventions and planning will not achieve sustainable results.

Socio-economic obstacles, women’s low position in public life, levels of education, income, and limited access to leadership roles are some of the barriers to women participation in decision making. Out of a Parliament of 275, only 38 are women, in a country where 51.2 per cent of the population are females, which needed to be improved.

The Bill, when passed, would promote democracy and good governance, equal participation, diversity in governance, alternative development paradigms, improved delivery of social services, and relationship between government and local communities, she said.

Statistics show that at the local levels there were 5,681 men as against 413 women at the district assembly level, which is the basic level of governance in the country, while at the unit committee level there were 5,034 men as against 344 women.

The Affirmative Action Bill, when passed, would ensure political mobilization, increased gender and sensitive practices, bring changes in people’s attitudes towards the environment, and deepen democracy and social transformation among other things.

OTAABIG as part of their advocacy actions, they shall be embarking on series of activities in the region to demand prompt action from the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection on the laying of the Affirmative Action Bill (Gender Equality Law) before Parliament. They would be educating rural communities on the need for the passing of the affirmative bill through the use of megaphones, communities’ information centers and radio stations in the nine district of Oti Region, namely Krachi West, Krachi Nchumburu, Krachi East, Nkwanta North and South, Biakoye, Kadjebi, Jasikan and the proposal SALL district.