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Ghana: Women Still Sidelined Politically As 2012 Election Approaches

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Fri, 2012-01-13 08:17

Summary: 

Last September a striking story stole the headlines of newspapers and media outlets all across Ghana. Samia Nkrumah, the daughter of the nation's founding father, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, became the first female chairperson of a political party in the country's history as an independent state.

The event was lauded as a giant leap forward in women's political participation within Ghana and was rich in symbolism: the daughter of the fallen visionary who delivered independence to the small West African nation and made it a known entity to the rest of the world had become the first female chairperson of the political party her father founded.

The Convention People's Party (CPP) was politically powerful before President Kwame Nkrumah was overthrown in a coup in 1966. But in 2011 the CPP casts a thin shadow of its former glory - it holds only one seat in parliament and its relevance derives from its role in the independence movement and establishing the first republic. Samia's victory was a significant achievement, but it does not reflect a broader shift in the attitudes towards women in politics, within the citizenry and major political parties, but rather underscored a deeper problem within Ghana's political culture. Contrary to the celebratory newspaper headlines, the event demonstrated that the political sphere continues to be the dominion of men.

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Read more in AllAfrica.com, published 11 January


Ghana: Affirmative Action Is Panacea for Increasing Women Numbers in Decision-Making

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Tue, 2011-11-15 14:05

Summary: 

It has been established that without mandatory Affirmative Action, expected changes that can lead to an increase in women's representation in national politics will not occur.

Ghana may also miss out on achieving its Millennium Development Goal (MDG 3) target with regard to the proportion of seats held by women in national parliament. MDG 3 mandates all countries to promote gender equality and empower women.

A study has recommended that in the short term, advocacy must continue to explain and build support for legislation on an Affirmative Action Policy (AAP). This is to be spearheaded by the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs (MoWAC) and Coalition on Affirmative Action legislation.

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Read more on AllAfrica.com


Ghana: NGO appeals to parties to get more women in parliament

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Tue, 2011-10-11 09:05

Summary: 

The Shama Municipal Coordinator of the Coalition of Women in Governance, an NGO, Madam Cynthia Sonlika, has appealed to political parties to let women to contest unopposed in the 21 new constituencies to be created by the Electoral Commission.

She said this was the only way the parties could help more women to get into parliament. Madam Sonlika made the appeal when addressing the congregation at a Roman Catholic Church at Half Assini on Sunday.

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To read the complete news please visit GhanaWeb.

Published on 10 October 2011.


Ghana: Nana Rawlings fails in NDC bid for presidency

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Mon, 2011-07-11 11:41

Summary: 

The wife of Ghana's ex-leader Jerry Rawlings has failed in her bid to be the ruling party's presidential candidate in next year's election.

Nana Konadu Rawlings won only 3.1% of the vote, at a convention of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) party in the capital, Accra.

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Read the whole article at BBC News


Ghana: Time To Elect a Female Leader

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Mon, 2011-07-11 11:28

Summary: 

Experts on Gender Equality and Democracy have unreservedly supported Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, the founder of the 31st December Women's Movement and now the increasingly popular presidential female candidate for the next 2012 elections, to raise Ghana further on the global stage for promoting democracy and women's status.

United Nations experts have reminded in separate interviews that Ghana has already scored high marks and praises from U.S. President Barack Obama during his first trip to sub-Saharan Africa in 2009, from reputable western and local democratic institutions, and many political experts and academic scholars for nurturing democracy for over two decades and it would be appreciated if the electorate seized the opportunity to showcase the importance of women's participation in politics by backing a Ghanaian female candidate.

 

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Read the whole article at Peace FM.


Ghana: Country May Miss MDG If Less Than 80 Women Win

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Thu, 2011-05-26 18:39

Summary: 

Twenty-three out of the 64 women who contested the New Patriotic Party (NPP) primaries were elected as parliamentary candidates and would contest on the ticket of the NPP in the 2012 general elections. Some women's rights advocates who called on the various parties to reduce filing fees by 50% for all female hopefuls are now happy that their call has gone down well.

Nevertheless, a governance expert has said that if the other parties, particularly the CPP and NDC do not field more women then Ghana will not be able to achieve the Millennium Development Goal 3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women.

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For more information, please visit: allAfrica.com


Ghana: Political parties asked to remove barriers that discriminate against women

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Wed, 2011-05-18 18:48

Summary: 

Ms Afua Gyapomaa, Programme Officer of Abantu for Development, a non-governmental Organization, has appealed to political parties to take adequate steps to remove barriers that discriminate against women in the country’s political development. She suggested that they should examine party structures and procedures and remove all barriers that discriminate against the participation of women in politics.

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For more information, please visit: Ghana Business News


Ghana: Ex-Assembly Woman Eyes Presidency in 2012

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Thu, 2011-05-12 03:14

Summary: 

An ex-Assemblywoman for the Hemang Electoral area, Madam Afia Donko has declared her intention to contest for the presidency in election 2012, as an independent presidential candidate.

Madam Donkor, 55, hails from the Afigya Kwabre District of the Ashanti Region. It is the home district of the former first lady, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings, who has expressed her desire to manage the affairs of the country.

Her quest for the presidency comes barely 96 hours after the former first lady had thrown the challenge to contest President Mills for the presidential primaries of the NDC in JuAn ex-Assemblywoman for the Hemang Electoral area, Madam Afia Donko has declared her intention to contest for the presidency in electoral 2012, as an independent presidential candidate. Madam Donkor, 55, hails from the Afigya Kwabre District of the Ashanti Region. It is the home district of the former first lady, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings, who has expressed her desire to manage the affairs of the country. Her quest for the presidency comes barely 96 hours after the former first lady had thrown the challenge to contest President Mills for the presidential primaries of the NDC in July.

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For more information, please visit: TheChronicle


Ghana: FIDA builds capacity of 43 elected assembly women

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Mon, 2011-04-25 01:17

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The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) together with The Hunger Project (THP)-Ghana, had organized a three-day workshop to help to deepen the understanding of selected women assembly members of the local government system. The goal was to adequately equip them to perform and bring development to their communities.



 

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For more information, please visit: GNA


Commonwealth: Happy Commonwealth Day!

Submitted by iKNOW Politics on Tue, 2011-03-15 10:13

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“Women are leaders, innovators and givers. They are scientists, teachers and nurturers. They have vision, compassion and the will to improve their communities, which, in turn, brings change on a global scale."

Meanwhile, the Queen, in her Commonwealth Day message, noted 26 million girls are born every year across the 54 member nations.

Despite all the advancements women have made and the accomplishments they’ve achieved, she suggested more could be done to ensure they play an “even larger role” in society.

“The commendable goal is to create a greater opportunity for women as children and adults to pursue their hopes and dreams, to attain their goals, and to make best use of their talents and knowledge,” she said.

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To read the complete news please visit The Gazette.