Pass Affirmative Action Bill Into Law Now To Break Gender Bias CDD Pressures Parliament
The AA bill, according to the Convenor of the CDD, Madam Sheila Minkah -Premo, when passed into law, will see a considerable balance ratio between the appointment of both male and female into public and private offices.
Freeman Koryekpor Awlesu Greater 
To address the ever-widening gender equality gap and its attendant effects on nation-building, the Affirmative Action bill coalition(AA) bill in collaboration with the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (Ghana-CDD), is calling for an immediate passage of the Affirmative Action Bill(AA) bill into law.
The AA bill, according to the Convenor of the CDD, Madam Sheila Minkah -Premo, when passed into law, will see a considerable balance ratio between the appointment of both male and female into public and private offices.
Passing the AA bill into law, Mrs. Mintah stressed would address the marginalization of women in public and economic life in the country hence the urgent need for a legislative Instrument (LI).
Even though women constitute more than 50% of the country's population, she explained that that was not reflective of the ratio between female to male membership in Parliament, District Assemblies, public/private sectors, and in corporate organizations.
"In 2016, it was observed in the Women's Manifesto for Ghana that women accounted for only 15% in public office. Women have been marginalized in governance. The percentage of women in Parliament is a reflection of the imbalance as the percentage has ranged from 9.6% in1960 and peaked in 1965 to 18.2%, 3.5% in 1979, 8% in 1992 and increased to 10.9% in 2004 and marginally increasing to 11.3% 2012."
" As if that was not enough, the current Parliament of 275, representing as low as 14.5%, out of 30 ministers, only 6 are females representing 20% and for cabinet, only 3 out of 19, representing 15.7% and the list continues," she noted.
Gendered division of labor in the home, patriarchal and patrimonial systems, negative socio-cultural practices and beliefs, lack of education and religious barriers, lack of adequate resources, nature of party politics in Ghana coupled with the lack of legislation to ensure a change to gender equality, the convenor mentioned accounted for the marginalization of women in leadership positions, therefore, calling for urgent attention to address.
"Women who are capable and qualified need to be allowed to have access to leadership positions in both public and private life. There's the need to address gender bias that subjugates women and creates a glass ceiling for them," she cautioned.
