Ghana parliament pass affirmative action bill wey go increase women participation for governance and decision-making

Parliament for Ghana don pass di affirmative action bill into law.

Di bill wey bin dey bifor parliament since 1998 go thru plenti amendments and pushbacks.

But on Tuesday 30 July, di House of Legislature pass di affirmative action (gender equity) bill, 2024.

Speaker of parliament Alban Bagbin wey bin preside ova di House tok afta di lawmakers unanimously tok ‘aye’ to di question say, “di affirmative action (gender equity) bill, 2024 dey duly read and passed.”

Di speaker tok di MPs say make dem ensure proper equity and commit diasef to di new law.

Im tok di lawmakers say make dem work to ensure say di kontri dey just.

“Make una no just celebrate - I hope members go commit diasef to di constitutional reforms,” speaker Alban Bagbin tok.

Im add say “we gatz do more to be able to create di free and just society we all dey want to liberate more of our women to be able to support us to be able to develop mother Ghana".

On 15 June, one lawmaker lay di new bill (afta dem make some changes) on behalf of di minister for gender and social protection Dakoa Newman.

Di bill bin aimed to provide for affirmative action and gender equality for di public and private sectors.

Im also dey aimed to promote progressive and active participation of women for public life from minimum of 30% to 50% by 2030.

Afta dem lay and read di new amended bill for di first time on 15 June, di speaker of parliament now refer am to di committee on gender, children and social welfare for consideration.

On 30 July, di gender minister Darkoa Newman bin move di motion for di passage and di vote of di House of Legislature.

Di passage of dis law dey come afta civil society groups and gender advocates don push say make parliament pass di law.

Some of di groups bin accuse parliament and successive goments say dem lack di political will to pass di law.

Some of di gender advocates for di kontri like Abantu for Development, affirmative action coalition, don pile plenti pressure on top di goment for dis bill.

Wetin be di affirmative action bill wey dem pass into law

Di bill (Affirmative Action and Gender Equity Bill, 2024), go encourage efforts to deal wit socio-cultural, political, economic and education gender imbalances for private and public sectors.

Some provisions of di bill say goment gatz ensure “progressive equitable representation of women for public office, governance and decision-making positions".

Im also dey tok say di president of di kontri gatz “ensure progressive achievement of di gender equality target for appointment to ministerial positions, council of state, constitutional bodis, di public service, district assemblies and any oda office wia di president go make appointment".

Di bill also provide say oda constitutional bodis and security services gatz “regard provisions of di bill if dem don dey fill vacancies and oda positions".

Per dis bill, pipo for di security service for example, neva for discriminate against women on di basis of dia gender - di women gatz get equal opportunity.

Political parties also gatz ensure progressive achievement of di gender equality target.

Di bill don dey tok say di kontri gatz achieve 30% of women participation and inclusion across sectors from 2024 to 2026.

From 2027 to 2028, di kontri gatz to target 35% for women participation and inclusion.

Between 2029 and 2030, Ghana gatz achieve 50% of women participation and inclusion in line wit di sustainable development goals (SDG goal on gender parity).

Private industries wey go factor provisions for dis bill to employ women go get tax incentives from di goment.

Afta parliament don pass di bill one of di notable advocates wey dey part of di #affirmativeactionnow movement, Nuong Faalong write for im social media page say “dis na ogbonge milestone for Ghana journey towards gender equality.”

“Dis na testament of di relentless effort of Ghanaian activists wey bin dey advocate for dis legislation for years.”

Im add say, “Despite di significant victory, di work no dey over - di implementation of di bill go require continued vigilance to ensure say dem put di provisions into practice.”

“Activists gatz focus on monitoring di compliance and to push for further reforms to promote gender equality for all sectors,” Nuong Faalong add.

Anoda ogbonge gender activist Shamima Muslim wey be convener of Alliance for women in media Africa tok say dis na "impressive first step".

"We go begin serious public education afta we see di final bill and ensure say di kontri follow am as di women empowerment agenda dey continue."