Influencing Gender Responsive Policies and Women’s Inclusion in Ghana’s Local Governance System

Since 1992 when Ghana ushered in multi-party politics, Ghana has held seven (7) parliamentary and presidential elections and six (6) district level elections, yet, women’s representation in decision making, in both local and national levels have failed to reach the 30% UN recommended minimum threshold in women’s representation in decision making.

The adoption of decentralisation in Ghana’s governance processes was, therefore, envisaged to promote popular participation, bring governance to the doorstep of women and men at the local level and for women and other disadvantaged groups to actively participate in decision making, using that space. Local government is easier to fit into women’s lives along with family responsibilities and job activities, yet, women’s presence in Ghana’s local governance is currently standing at less than 5 percent (5%).

ABANTU for Development therefore dialogued with sector stakeholders from the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP), Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD), Municipal and Metropolitan Assemblies, Civil Society Organisations, Networks and Coalitions, National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) and the media. The dialogue gave each sector ministry the opportunity to present their strategies for the enhancement of women’s representation as well challenges faced and avenues for improvement. The platform afforded civil society and the media, the platform to question duty bearers on progress made so far in promoting women’s rights and gender equality. The forum helped to bridge the gap between civil society and the media on one part and duty bearers on the other. The sector ministries outlined their challenges and called on civil society and development partners to assist them in achieving this mandate.

The representative of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection announced the ministry’s commitment in pushing for the passage of the Affirmative Action (AA) Law under the current government before the Presidential and Parliamentary Election in 2020 to ensure women’s increased representation. The AA Bill when passed into law, seeks a 40 percent representation and participation of women in public positions, governance and political decision making. This means that the level of women’s representation and participation in decision making will automatically increase because political parties, state agencies and the government will be mandated by law to do so, with the Electoral Commission serving as the enforcement agency.

From the representative of National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), in 2014 and 2015, the commission organised Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with women’s groups, youth groups, traditional and opinion leaders and other local level structures in all 216 districts across the country. The FGDs she mentioned was aimed at exploring factors that inhibit women’s participation in the District Level Elections and also solicit for context-specific solutions to addressing them. Based on the successes of the previous FGDs she indicated that there are plans to organise FGDs again this year among other initiatives such as organising capacity building workshops for aspiring Assembly women and Unit Committee Members; Public education in local dialects on the importance of women involvement in governance and the need for voting women when they contest for elections.

Civil Society Organisations, Networks and Coalitions present also committed to:

• Organising empowerment sessions for women who seek to enter the District Level Elections to equip them with the requisite knowledge and attitude for the work ahead of them.
• Identifying and supporting women aspirants with campaign materials.
• Build the capacities of women aspirants in delivering good campaign messages.
• Sensitise and train people in the districts they work in to support and vote for women aspirants.

Metropolitan and Municipal Assemblies also committed to continue sensitising the people in their various assemblies to support and vote for women aspirants during the District Assembly Elections. With careful observation over the past years, we realised that many aspirants of the Unit Committee usually contest unopposed, so we will also encourage more women to target the Unit Committee as well they said.

The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development pledged their support in working with all partners to achieve the objective of increased women’s representation at both the District and Parliamentary levels. The ministry is also committed to consciously appointing more women to take up leadership positions.

The media houses present admitted they had an advocacy role to play in generating public interest in the passage of the Affirmative Action Law in Ghana through print, radio stations and social media. They also mentioned that, reporting must go beyond the scheduled Assembly Meetings, inauguration of facilities, speeches at festivals, workshops and scheduled events for effectiveness. They will stimulate the interest of locals especially women to participate in Ghana’s local governance system. The forum ended with stakeholders having a mutual understanding of the environment within which each institution works, as well as the challenges and avenues for collaboration for the promotion of women’s rights and gender equality. The change realised in here is the mutual understanding, collaboration and commitment, towards the achievement of the same cause.