Ms Samia Nkrumah, the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Jomoro, has challenged gender advocates not to limit their roles in empowering women but should strive for elective positions in Election 2012.<\/p>\n
\u201cEmpowering women through capacity building workshops are good but more important we need all gender advocates to join in contesting for political positions especially parliamentary seats.<\/p>\n
\u201cMost gender advocates have leverage in the social-political environment, which must be translated into assuming leadership positions to influence national policies,\u201d Ms Nkrumah told the Ghana News Agency in an interview at the sidelines of a workshop to develop a women\u2019s manual at Aburi in the Eastern Region at the weekend.<\/p>\n
The workshop on the theme: \u201cA Woman\u2019s Manual Towards Increased Women\u2019s Parliamentary Representation,\u201d was organised by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), a think-tank for representatives of the four political parties with representation in parliament.<\/p>\n
The parties are the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Convention Peoples Party (CPP) and the Peoples National Convention (PNC).<\/p>\n
Sharing her experience at the workshop, Ms Nkrumah who is seeking for a second term as MP for Jomoro said the path to gender equality must start from the local level, through the political grass root structures to the national level into governance.
\nShe noted that the only way for achieving gender parity was through legislation, adding that the \u201cterrain is becoming more and more difficult for women\u201d.<\/p>\n
Ms Nkrumah who is also contesting for the CPP National Chairmanship slot encouraged women aspirants never to be discouraged by negative tags, name callings and personality attacks.
\n\u201cYou must develop the stamina to go through the rough campaign terrain\u2026 You need to be bold, firm and courageous and develop strong mental aptitude that the impossible is possible.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour private life would be hit, but it is important to focus on your strong female qualities to move on\u2026 Never engage in personality attacks,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Ms Nkrumah also advised aspiring women parliamentary candidates to form a strong team involving opinion leaders, traditional and religious elders to network.
\nMrs Beatrice Boateng, NPP Member for New Juaben South appealed to the media to support women aspirants.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are your sisters, wives, mothers and colleagues. We need encouragement rather than the constant personal attacks,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
She also urged gender advocacy groups to offer financial support to women aspirants, adding: \u201cWe need the cash to move around.\u201d
\nMrs Boateng encouraged women aspirants especially those who failed at their first attempt not to be discouraged but mobilise and fight on and engage in social services to help their communities.<\/p>\n
Hajia Hawawu Boya Gariba, Deputy Minister of Women and Children Affairs noted that the seed of democracy lied in the principle that the legitimacy of power to make decisions about peoples lives, the society and the country at large should derive from a choice by those who would be affected.
\n\u201cFor many centuries the basis of this legitimacy was limited and many were excluded from making a choice: bonded persons, those without property or formal education and overwhelmingly, women were not given the franchise and so did not have a choice.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe men folks were the voices of women\u2026 This unacceptable situation has since the past few decades changed. However the quantum of representation in national legislature is not significant and continues to dwindle especially in our case.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is my conviction that policy decisions and laws are to be made for the benefit of all members of the society and in particular its larger segment- women.
\n\u201cThen the extent to which the decision-making body is able to take into account the experience of the broad spectrum of the society will be the gauge of the degree to which its decisions will reflect its aspirations.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe representation of women and the inclusion of their perspective and experience into decision-making process will inevitable lead to solutions that are more viable and durable and satisfy a broader spectrum of the society.
\n\u201cThat is the basis of our drive that women should be part of the process,\u201d Hajia Gariba said.<\/p>\n
She noted that despite the drive and efforts of women they continue to face difficulty in entering institutions of governance and high level decision making.<\/p>\n
\u201cPolitical Parties failed to choose women as candidates and the electorates reflect and act on the gender stereotypes in the society by voting for men,\u201d she stated.
\nThe Deputy Minister therefore called on women to organise inside and outside their political parties and encourage political parties to set down clear rules for selection of parliamentary candidates.<\/p>\n
The Political Parties Manual on Women in Politics in Ghana seeks to advocate that women\u2019s participation in governance can be facilitated by strengthening their representation and candidature in the election process.
\nThe manual is being developed by the IEA, in collaboration with NDC, NPP, CPP and the PNC.
\nLeadership of the various political parties are expected to adopt and sign at a later date the Political Parties Manual on Women in Politics in Ghana.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Ms Samia Nkrumah, the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Jomoro, has challenged gender advocates not to limit their roles in empowering women but should strive for elective positions in Election 2012. \u201cEmpowering women through capacity building workshops are good but more important we need all gender advocates to join in contesting for political positions especially parliamentary seats. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-276708","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\n