Accra, Ghana, September 4, 2019//-Professor Takyiwaa Manuh, a former Director at the Social Development Policy Division of the United Nations (UN) Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) has stated that women’s under-representation in parliament hampers Ghana’s efforts to achieve inclusive development.
According to her, the country could not develop inclusively when women who form about 52 percent of the population were under-presented.
Prof Manuh said at this when she delivered the 15th edition of the “Kronti ne Akwamu” lecture in Accra on Thursday, August 29, 2019.
Prof Manuh bemoaned: “Women’s under-representation is not only a violation of their rights but also hampers inclusive development”.
The lecture which was themed: ‘Gender and Youth in Ghana’s Democratic Consolidation’ was organised Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), a leading research and advocacy think-tank in Ghana and beyond.
Prof Manuh noted that 62 years after independence and 25 years after constitutional rule, Ghanaian women are woefully under-represented which she described unacceptable.
“The weak representation of women in Parliament affects the gender composition of committees in Parliament”, she told the participants at the well-attended lecture.
Prof Manuh also regretted that present and successive governments in Ghana have not shown the political will and commitment to increase women representation and inclusion in the West African country.
Ineffective Quota system
Ghana is noted as one of the first African countries to introduce a quota system to get women elected into Parliament. But it does not improve the situation as alluded to by Prof Manuh.
Since 2004, CSOs and other gender activists have been advocating for the passage of the affirmative action law which is currently bill before parliament. But its passage has been very slow.
Economic growth
Prof Manuh said that economic growth in Africa had not translated into well-being for the youth resulting in youth migration to Europe through dangerous routes to seek greener pastures.
She added that socialization often trains young girls to only enter into fields that are deemed for women and therefore called for the break of this cycle.
Prof Manuh used the occasion to call on the government to tap into the energies of the youth to enable them contribute meaningfully to the socio-economic development of the country.
African Eye Report
