The Affirmative Action Coalition has rejected the notion that the Affirmative Action Gender Equity Bill, passed by Parliament, will provide women with an unjust advantage over men.
According to Sheila Minka Premo, Convener of the Affirmative Action Coalition, they are optimistic about President Akufo-Addo’s potential approval of the bill, which the Coalition believes will promote gender equity without unfairly disadvantaging men.
“There is nothing wrong if the government passes a law to bring in policies and programs which will try to address the imbalance when it comes to gender equity and the law is structured in such a way that once the imbalance is addressed in a particular sector that program has to end. So I don’t think that it will lead to women having an unfair advantage over men, no”.
Sheila Minka Premo
The Coalition noted that the Affirmative Action Gender Equity Bill 2024 is expected to ensure that a critical number of women hold key positions in governance, public life, and decision-making spaces, thereby improving the lives of women in the country.
Sheila Minka Premo confidently stated that the Bill also seeks to encourage efforts towards addressing socio-cultural, political, economic, and educational gender imbalances in private and public sectors, per Clause 4 of Article 17 of the 1992 Constitution.
The Affirmative Action Bill’s objective is to promote the progressive increase and active participation of women in public and active life from a minimum of 30 percent by 2030, under the requirements of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Meanwhile, former Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu had recently voiced his misgivings about certain provisions in the bill, expressing his discontent.
He contended that certain provisions in the bill lacked relevance to Ghana’s specific needs, instead borrowing heavily from foreign jurisdictions without adequate consideration for local contexts.
However, advocates for the Bill consider its passage to be a victory for gender equality advocates and a step towards a more inclusive society.
Bill Passage Applauded
Furthermore, Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, former Minister for Gender, Children, and Social Protection, has applauded Parliament’s passage of the Affirmative Action Gender Equity bill but expressed disappointment that it lacks a provision for allocating parliamentary seats specifically for women.
She emphatically noted that the reservation of seats for women in parliament was another crucial issue that advocates had been championing in the course of pushing for the bill to be passed.
She suggested that setting aside a certain number of seats for women should be given serious consideration.
Nana Oye observed that the Affirmative Action Gender Equity Bill 2024, recently enacted into law, has been the subject of lengthy deliberations spanning several years, emphasizing that its passage is long overdue.
She highlighted the significance of the bill’s specific provisions, especially those outlining the responsibilities and powers of various independent constitutional bodies.
The former minister noted that the bill provides clear guidelines on the duties of various sectors, such as the Electoral Commission and public service, and sets explicit percentage targets for their implementation.
Mrs. Addo advocated for mandatory reporting by each sector to the Gender Equality Committee and the Department of Gender, emphasizing that non-compliance would result in penalties.
“So, I am really happy about that. If we are able to implement, I am sure we would go far as far as gender equality is concerned and adequate representation of women across the political, social, educational, cultural, and other sectors of society.”
Nana Oye Bampoe Addo
This Affirmative Action Bill addresses the historical gender imbalance and ensures equal opportunities for all.
By implementing measures like mandatory reporting and penalties for non-compliance, the bill demonstrates a commitment to meaningful change.
Passage of the Bill into law will establish Ghana as a model for gender equality, inspiring her contemporaries to follow suit.
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