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Only nine candidates out of the 118 contesting the 2016 parliamentary elections in the Volta Region are women.

The female aspirants have filed from eight constituencies; Keta, Ketu North, Ho West, North Dayi, Hohoe, Kpando, Afadjato South and Krachie West, out of the 26.

The figure represents 7.6 per cent, a decline in the number of women who filed to contest the 2012 parliamentary elections in the Region.

In that year, (2012) eleven women out of 125 candidates contested eight seats, with four winning.

Nana Kugbeadzor Bakateyi II, Chief Executive, Global Action for Women Empowerment, expressed disappointment in the decline in the number of women contesting seats in the Region despite several consultations by her outfit.

She said a good number of women failed to win their primaries and blamed it on the lack of commitment from political parties to “support and push” women into parliament.

Nana Bakateyi said her NGO was engaging electorate, especially women in the Region to encourage them to vote for female parliamentary candidates.

“Women don’t vote for women, so we are asking all women to vote for female candidates this year for more balanced parliamentary debates. This is because we, women understand our issues better,” she stated.