Abantu advocates more women representation in local governance

ABANTU for Development has underscored the urgent need for women to fully represent and participate in local governance, in spite of the abismal outcome for women during the 2019 District Level Elections.

Since the introduction of the decentralised system in Ghana, women have been denied the chance to attain the 30 per cent UN recommended minimum threshold in representation in District Assembly elections since 1988.

This makes gender-based exclusion in these structures a major deficit in equality in participation.

The Executive Director for ABANTU for Development, Rose Mensah-Kutin (PhD) made this known in a press release issued and copied to GhanaNewsOnline.com.gh in Accra

According to her, on Tuesday December 17, 2019, Ghanaians went to the polls to cast their ballots to elect members to serve in District Assemblies nationwide for a period of four years.

The process was intended to consolidate the country’s constitutional democracy and afford the opportunity to all to be part of the decision making process.

“With 909 candidates and 216 winners, the 2019 District Assembly Elections recorded the second lowest number of women contestants in the history of the District Assembly elections coming after the 547 women contestants and 196 winners in 1998.

“Compared to the 17, 601 male contestants in the more than 6000 electoral areas countrywide, the 2019 Local Government Election shows that the goal of parity is a long way off and the nation needs to take decisive measures immediately,” she explained.

She added that elections are failing to deliver district assemblies that are devoid of gender marginalisation against the desire to institutionalise political legitimacy and fulfil promises of equitable, sustainable and effective local governance which requires gender sensitivity.

According to her, Ghana’s District Assemblies were created as the highest political authorities in the districts under the decentralised system of governance to help leapfrog community development.

The objective is to make these assemblies effective centres of self-governance, intensify mass local participation in decision-making, planning and in sustainable development process.

Stressing that, the motivation is to support democracy and afford all possible opportunities to all the people to participate in decision-making at every level in national life.

The system and its processes are therefore expected to facilitate effective popular participation of the marginalised, especially women, as central to ensure accountability, equal opportunities and access to national resources.

The issue of parity in women’s participation in policy-making structures should be a core concern in the desire to strengthen democratic culture and help build ideals of good governance.

According to her, Local governance has the potential to empower citizens to express and exercise their views effectively and influence government priorities and processes, and women can articulate their needs and concerns more concisely from their own experiences.

Emphasizing that, equal participation and sharing of power should engender engagement in policy-making affecting both women and men’s lives within the concept of equal citizenship rights.

By perennially allowing for low representation of marginalised groups, especially women, Ghana not only limits the diversity of the decision making bodies like District assemblies, but also pose a challenge to the provision of societal benefits central to true democracy.

“Many countries including several in Africa are acting decisively by reforming electoral systems, undertaking constitutional reviews and passing legislation such as Affirmative Action Laws to ensure women’s equal participation and representation in politics and decision-making.

These efforts are in direct response to the globally agreed conventions and instruments that mandate all states to act resolutely to accelerate the increase of women in political participation as a critical component of democratic governance and sustainable development. Ghana can do same by passing the Affirmative Action Law,” she urged.

Source: Isaac Kofi Dzokpo