Press Release: Parliamentary Primaries
Implementing partners of the We Know Politics Project namely Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF Ghana); Gender Studies and Human Rights Documentation Centre (Gender Centre), International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) and The Hunger Project – Ghana.
Commend the NPP, NDC and CPP for the affirmative action decision to reduce by 50% the filing fees for women in comparison to men. The objective of this decision is to ensure more women contest the primaries and ultimately make it into the next Parliament. For the remaining political parties that are yet to announce fees for primaries, the expectation is that a similar strategy will facilitate more women contesting in the primaries. Furthermore, it is hoped women in other political parties will take advantage of such an opportunity.
It is within this same spirit of creating an enabling environment for women, that the call is made to delegates at upcoming primaries, of political parties, to vote for women contestants. This will be one of the first steps towards facilitating an improved representation of women in Parliament beyond the current number of 19 out of a total of 230 Parliamentarians.
The delegates voting for women will not only be making history but will be fulfilling their obligations and commitments to Gender Equality on political participation and representations. One key commitment is the “Akosombo Declaration for Gender Equality by Political Parties”. This commitment was made in a communiqué agreed between the Institute of Economic Affairs and four political parties with representation in Parliament on June 30, 2009 at Akosombo in the Eastern Region. It contained the Parties’ commitment to ensuring among others, at least 30% representation of women in their executive structures.
It will ultimately be reflecting the nation’s commitments to internationally ratified conventions and treaties such as the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa in 2007 and African Union Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in 2004 and the Beijing Platform for Action if they elect more women at parliamentary primaries to contest the 2012 elections. It will further boost Ghana’s effort at achieving the MDGs Goal 3 target of at least 30% representation of women in politics and governance.
We entreat Political parties to have free and fair elections and peaceful internal co-existence before, during and after the primaries. Contestants, supporters and all delegates are also entreated to conduct themselves in a manner that would not disturb the hard earned peace of the country.
Finally, we challenge the media to play its watch-dog role efficiently through positive, objective and a peace-oriented reportage of events preceding, during and after the primaries. They should encourage constructive phone-in and interviews on the primaries.
Issued in Accra on 27th April 2011
By Partners of We Know Politics Project
• Gender Centre
• The Hunger Project
• FIDA Ghana
• WiLDAF Ghana