By Bernice Bessey
The Women Manifesto designed to balance gender equity and equality in discussion making in Ghana is 11 years old.
Though the total concept of the manifesto has not come to full reality, Abantun for Development and Coalition for Women Manifesto, anchors behind the idea, says the country needs to do more to become a trail blazer in equal representation.
The fight to have this manifesto made into law had been “a tug of war”, but Abantu believes gender equity can be achieved with political will. Marking the 11th Anniversary celebration in Accra yesterday, Adwoa Base, women’s rights advocate, said Ghana had come a long way in its democratic dispensation, but had failed to ensure that the affirmative action bill has been passed into law.
She said the Women Manifesto, since its inception, has played an integral role in equipping and capacitating women in the country to take up public positions. Also, a member of the Women Manifesto Steering Committee and a lawyer, Hillary Gbedemah, giving her thought on “increase women representation in 2016 and beyond: a case for the immediate passage of the Affirmative Action Law”, prayed that the bill is passed in no time.
“The bill must be passed into law without it being diluted or aspects of it being left out. We want every aspect of the bill to be made a law,” she pleaded. She noted that though political parties have made some commitment by promoting gender equality, it is yet to be realised.
Lawyer Gbedemah asserted that the passage of the bill will enable the country to benefit from the women’s potential, and to discover talents. She recounted that although some achievements have been chalked in bringing some changes in women’s lives, real transformation for equality remains a challenge.
The coalition and Abantu said as part of efforts to ensure women participated in the just-ended District Level Elections, they encouraged and campaigned for women who were bold to stand, which dozens won.