The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dakoa Newman has announced that Parliament has passed the Affirmative Action Bill on July 30, 2024.
The Minister explained that although the bill had been passed in Parliament, it is yet to reach the President.
“The head of legislation is still tidying up a few things on the Act and once he is done tidying it up, then it can be sent to the President for his ascent. So, the final bill you will see is a bit different from the one that is seen on social media, but a lot of the parts and clauses remain the same,” the Minister clarified.
The Act aims at promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment by addressing the systemic barriers that have hindered women in the Ghanaian society.
She made the announcement during the Minister’s Press Briefing organised by the Ministry of Information in Accra today.
Hon. Dakoa Newman dispelled the misconception about the bill fueling tokenism stated that Ghanaian women are qualified to hold positions and reminded the public to support its implementation.
She expressed her delight that Ghanaian girls are now opting for STEM Programmes and was optimistic that they would soon qualify to be part of the 50% gender parity target in the Act.
She noted that the Act was progressive and prioritizes equity and not equality.
“If you check the first schedule, it talks about 30% from 2024 to 2026, then a minimum of 35% from 2027 to 2028 and 50% from 2029 to 2030,” she explained.
She added that although the bill spelt out offences such as jail term or penalty unit, her outfit is more interested in advocating for the portion of the bill which has some tax incentives to private organisations who adhere to the Act.
Source:newsalertgh.com