A former Minister for Gender, Children, and Social Protection Nana Oye Bampoe Addo has welcomed the passage of the Affirmative Action Gender Equity bill by Parliament but says she’s disappointed that there’s no provision that reserves parliamentary seats for women.
According to her, reserving certain seats for women should be considered.
Parliament passed the Affirmative Action Gender Equity Bill 2024, which has been under discussion for several years.
The bill was approved unanimously by the House to ensure that a significant number of women hold key positions in governance, public life, and decision-making, ultimately improving the lives of women across the country.
Speaking on JoyNews AM show, Mrs Addo said “My disappointment is that I don’t see any clear provision on seats that are reserved for women in parliament. This was also something that we were fighting for—that certain seats be reserved for women—but I don’t see that in the bill that I am reading now. I think that is my disappointment.”
She emphasised the importance of the bill’s detailed provisions, particularly regarding the roles of various independent constitutional bodies.
The former minister said the bill clearly outlines the responsibilities of the Electoral Commission, public service, and other sectors, specifying the percentages they must adhere to.
Mrs Addo noted that each sector is required to submit a report to the Gender Equality Committee and the Department of Gender.
She said there are fines for failing to comply with these reporting requirements.
“So, I am really happy about that. If we are able to implement, I am sure we would go far as far as gender equality is concerned and adequate representation of women across the political, social, educational, cultural, and other sectors of society.”
