Political Participation & Leadership
Women’s representation in positions of power at the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) is unacceptably low, contributing, thereby, to the low participation of women in governance at all levels in Ghana—a research report has revealed. According to the report entitled “Research Report on Accountability To Women’s Rights & Gender Equality In Local Governance—The Local Governance Age Research”, structural inequalities, unfair ethno-cultural and religious practices, patriarchal family arrangements, lack of support and an unfriendly political climate have been identified as factors restricting women’s and other marginalised groups’ political participation.
Recognising that the participation of women in local government is not only a right but also an opportunity to influence local and national development, and based on the findings of the study, the Report recommended that at least 50 per cent of the appointed members of the District Assemblies should be females.
The report also recommended that the capacities of the few women in the Assemblies should be built such that their impact will encourage other women to stand for election.
Furthermore, the Report recommended that the capacities of the District Assemblies should also be built so as to be able to recognise the peculiar need of women in the design and implementation of policies to meet these needs.
Speaking at the launch of the Report in Accra, yesterday, Ms Magdalene Kannae, Head of Gender and Social Development Centre, Institute of Local Government Studies, described the Report as a working document that could be used to achieve gender equality in Ghana.
Ms Kannae said gender equality should be achieved through the institution and use of affirmative action measures.
She reiterated the need for capacity building for Assembly women as a means of empowering them to make an impact in the Assemblies.
She commended Christian Aid, Ghana— a Christian Non-Governmental Organisation that insists the world can and must be swiftly changed to one where everyone can live a full life, free from poverty— for supporting ABANTU for Development to undertake the study.
Christian Aid, which is part of a wider movement for social justice, works globally for a profound change that eradicates the causes of poverty, striving to achieve equality, dignity and freedom for all, regardless of faith or nationality.
As an agency of its churches in Britain and Ireland, mandated to work on relief, development and advocacy for poverty eradication, Christian Aid, Ghana provides practical and effective assistance, where need is great, and tackles the effects of poverty as well as its root causes.
For its part, ABANTU for Development is a registered NGO established in 1991 by African women based in Europe to enhance the capacity of African people, in particular women, to participate in development and increase the participation of African women in the political and economic structures of their countries.
ABANTU exists to build the capacity of women to participate in decision-making at all levels, to influence policies from a gender perspective and to address inequalities and injustices in social relations.
It is a network of people who believe that gender disparity is an injustice, contributes to poverty and is a major hindrance to development.
The organisation is currently focusing on the following key areas of development as contained in the 12 Critical Areas of Concern in the Beijing Platform for Action: Gender and Governance, Gender and Climate Change and Gender and Peace Building.
Although ABANTU is an independent network, it forges strategic alliances with others in order to advance its cause, hence the collaboration with Christian Aid, Ghana to undertake the study.
The research examined the different functions of the District Assemblies, including asset management, revenue management and social accountability, from a gender perspective.
The research then analysed the strategies, initiatives and processes adopted and/or used in addressing women’s rights and gender equality issues in the operation of the District Assemblies.
It then analysed the challenges, opportunities and impact of initiatives on women’s rights and their implications for gender relations and women’s active participation in local governance.
The main objective of the Launch was to create a platform for the discussion of key issues in the Report for the way forward in ensuring a deepened accountability to women’s rights and gender equality at the local level.