Pass Affirmative Action Bill � ABANTU

Non-governmental organisation ABANTU for Development has called for the passage of the Affirmative Action Bill into law by parliament ahead of the 2016 polls.

Contained in the bill is a plan to see more women in strategic decision making positions. The bill, when passed, will also require all sectors to reserve a percentage of their employment for women.

But speaking at a press conference in Accra Wednesday June 29, Director of ABANTU for Development, Dr Rose Mensah Kutin, said the bill will assist greater female participation in the next parliament.

“All in all, we are saying that affirmative action is a measure that has been adopted worldwide in countries where there is belief that women and men can or should both participate in the process of development so that development can be much more beneficial to all categories of citizens of society”, she stated.

“So, we are urging citizens of this country to take women’s effective and equal representation in decision-taking, especially in the time that we are campaigning and preparing for this year’s election [seriously] because at the end of the day both women and men will go to the polls to vote for people to take office. So, it is important that we all support this campaign for affirmative action and ensure that the bill as it stands now is actually passed into law”, Dr Kutin added.