IEA Affirmative Action Group speaks for women

The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) Affirmative Action Group has recommended that women between the ages of 35 and 40 who have not had the opportunity to attend school be given free compulsory education to empower them intellectually.
This is among proposals and recommendations submitted by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) Affirmative Action Group to the Ministry of Women and Gender, which is currently drafting an Affirmative Action Bill.

The Affirmative Action Bill is aimed at increasing women participation in the political decision-making process.

As part of its efforts to strengthen Ghana’s democracy, the Institute of Economic Affairs, in partnership with the EU-funded European Partnership for Democracy (EPD), established the Affirmative Action Working Group composed of a broad range of stakeholders with an interest in the issue of under-representation of women in the political decision-making process.

Members of the working group include representatives from political parties (NDC, NPP, CPP, PNC and PPP), as well as representatives from the Electoral Commission, Trade Union Congress, Women’s Groups, Muslim Federation Council, Federation for the Disabled and other civil society groups.

Over the past two months, the working group has worked to propose key recommendations for consideration by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, as input into the Affirmative Action Bill currently being drafted by the Ministry.

Members of the working group agreed on the need for more women to participate in the political decision-making process and for all stakeholders to play their role in advocating for the expedient passage and implementation of the Affirmation Action Bill into law.

The group, therefore, proposed a law that have provisions which encourage women to engage in non-traditional roles such as having leadership positions in areas as defence, oil, science, finance and business.

On quotas, the working group proposed that Government appointees and other non-elective leadership positions should include at least five per cent of Persons with Disability.

According to the Working Group, in addition to  the recommended 40 per cent quota, at the Council of State level, it  proposed that  the quota should be 50 per cent in order to promote gender and regional balance.

Queens, the group said, must have full membership in the National House of Chiefs, where they would sit with male counterparts to deliberate on national issues and thereby participate in decision-making.

The Group also called for the.adoption of the Senegalese model where non compliance is illegal.

The Group said for example if a political party failed to provide pre and post-primaries lists to show compliance that they had fielded a certain number of female candidates, the party could be disqualified from partaking in the elections.

According to the recommendation of the Working Group, there should be an independent Oversight Body to oversee the implementation of the Affirmative Action Bill, its function and scope and sanction institutions and political parties that did not ensure compliance.

Daily Graphic/Ghana