Victory for women’s rights in Ghana as affirmative action law is passed – what must happen next
Source: The Conversation
The passage of the Affirmative Action (Gender Equality) Bill by the country’s parliament on 9 August 2024 marked a victory for women’s rights in Ghana. The bill, which has been years in the making, is the result of several actors, allies and activists lobbying and protesting for over a decade. The bill in it its current form makes it compulsory to have women either elected or appointed to major decision-making organs of public life. The Conversation Africa spoke to lawyer and gender scholar Josephine Jarpa Dawuni about the key aspects of the bill.
What are the key aspects of the new law?
The bill attempts to ensure the achievement of gender equality in the political, social, economic, educational and cultural spheres of Ghanaian society.
Major decision-making sectors covered by the current version of the bill are public offices such as ministerial positions and the Council of State (the advisory body of the president). There are also clauses that cover the public service, the judiciary and trade unions.
One clause mandates the government to engage in gender-responsive budgeting. Ministries and agencies of government must include a budget line to deal with gender-specific and gender-sensitive issues identified in the plans of those agencies.
Read here the full article published by The Conversation on 3 September 2024.
Image credits: The Conversation
The passage of the Affirmative Action (Gender Equality) Bill by the country’s parliament on 9 August 2024 marked a victory for women’s rights in Ghana. The bill, which has been years in the making, is the result of several actors, allies and activists lobbying and protesting for over a decade. The bill in it its current form makes it compulsory to have women either elected or appointed to major decision-making organs of public life. The Conversation Africa spoke to lawyer and gender scholar Josephine Jarpa Dawuni about the key aspects of the bill.
What are the key aspects of the new law?
The bill attempts to ensure the achievement of gender equality in the political, social, economic, educational and cultural spheres of Ghanaian society.
Major decision-making sectors covered by the current version of the bill are public offices such as ministerial positions and the Council of State (the advisory body of the president). There are also clauses that cover the public service, the judiciary and trade unions.
One clause mandates the government to engage in gender-responsive budgeting. Ministries and agencies of government must include a budget line to deal with gender-specific and gender-sensitive issues identified in the plans of those agencies.
Read here the full article published by The Conversation on 3 September 2024.
Image credits: The Conversation
