Aya Institute calls for women's inclusion in Ghana's 2024 Elections

Emphasizing the significance of women's inclusion in a functional democracy, the institute stated that such inclusion is a key investment for any nation.

In a released statement, the institute celebrated the progress of Ghanaian women across various spheres, using International Women’s Day as an opportunity to reflect on their journeys and advocate for a more gender-responsive system that recognizes, includes, and celebrates Ghanaian women.

Citing data from the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the institute highlighted the global underrepresentation of women in national parliaments, with only 26.1% being women as of March 2022. In Ghana, after the 2016 general elections, female Members of Parliament (MPs) constituted 13% of the total, and in the 2020 elections, the representation increased to 14.5%.

The Aya Institute for Women stressed the need for bold and intentional national laws supporting political inclusion, suggesting the implementation of a gender quota system in key sectors to address historic imbalances against women. The release argued that the inclusion of women in key sectors was both a democratic and employment right.

Focusing on this year's theme of inclusion, especially with the upcoming campaign activities, the institute encouraged political parties to make specific commitments to gender policy in their manifestos. It urged women voters to recognize their collective power and consider their interests by assessing the gender policies of political parties.

The release appealed to the media to adopt a gender-responsive approach during the election period, avoiding gender stereotyping and spotlighting. It called for a conscious effort to gender audit programs, panels, and issues to normalize gender and promote consensus and decency in political discourse.