The lack of gender parity in Ghana’s political landscape is apparent, with a mere 14.55 percent of the 275 parliamentary seats held by women, representing an equal distribution between the leading political parties.
While this marks a historic high in female representation since Ghana’s independence in 1957, it falls short of the United Nations’ recommended minimum threshold of 30 percent outlined in the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BDPFA).
Moreover, women are significantly underrepresented in positions of power and decision-making roles, leading to a lack of diverse perspectives and experiences in governance.
This disparity hinders the country’s progress towards achieving true gender equality and inclusive governance, as despite efforts by the Ghanaian Parliament to promote women’s participation in politics, the gap remains wide, with men dominating the political landscape.
As women’s perspectives are essential for effective governance and policy-making, addressing this issue requires comprehensive and sustained efforts to break down barriers and create a more inclusive and equitable political environment.
Accordingly, a Governance Analyst, Dr. John Osae-Kwapong, suggested that a strategic approach to addressing gender inequality in the political landscape of Ghana involves political parties deliberately implementing measures that create greater opportunities for female participation in politics.
As per his perspective, the primary significance of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) selecting a woman as its flagbearer’s running mate lies in providing Ghanaians with the chance to witness elevated levels of women leadership.
He emphasized that the potential impact of Prof. Opoku-Agyemang on the NDC’s vote in the Central Region or nationwide is of secondary importance.
“For me, the significance that I am looking for in this election goes beyond just whether she can bring the vote or not. I am sure she can. But for me, it is the fact that one of our two main duopoly [political] parties is in an intentional way trying to ensure that…all this conversation about more women in our political spaces can become a reality. Like [having] our first female Vice President”.
Dr. John Osae-Kwapong
Acceptance Of Inclusivity Of Females In Politics
Certainly, the citizens of Ghana display a strong readiness and enthusiasm to embrace increased gender diversity and inclusivity in the political sphere.
According to Prof. Alidu Seidu, Head of the Department of Political Science at the University of Ghana, Ghanaians are in total support of Prof. Opoku-Agyemang’s candidature.
He indicated that data by Global InfoAnalytics shows that 60% of Ghanaians have endorsed her selection as running mate compared to 15% who disapproved and 25% who were neutral.
“The most interesting part is the floating voters, 54% of them endorsed her candidature compared to just 16% who are opposed to it and 30% who are neutral. Even within the governing NPP, about 49%, close to 50% of the NPP supported her candidature compared to 22% who said no and 29% who were neutral”.
Prof. Alidu Seidu
Professor Seidu noted that a significant number of individuals supported the National Democratic Congress (NDC) during the 2020 General Election primarily due to the inclusion of a female running mate as the party’s running mate.
This he noted, signifies the growing willingness of Ghanaians to advance gender equality within the nation’s political sphere.
“She represented [and still represents] progressive women who wanted to have a balanced ticket in terms of gender” – Prof. Seidu
Moreover, addressing the issue of gender inequality in Ghana’s political sphere can be achieved through several strategies.
Firstly, implementing gender quotas or affirmative action policies can help increase the representation of women in political positions, hence it is imperative for the Affirmative Action Bill to be passed to ensure women’s representation in politics.
Additionally, providing training and mentorship programs specifically tailored for women interested in politics can help them develop the skills and confidence needed to succeed in this male-dominated field.
This will be extremely effective in encouraging women to participate in politics as most women shy away from partaking in politics because they lack the necessary skills to navigate politics in Ghana.
Furthermore, raising awareness about the importance of gender parity in political leadership through campaigns and educational initiatives can help change societal attitudes and norms.
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