Parliament urged to pass Affirmative Bill into law
Human Rights Activists have called on Ghana’s Parliament to expedite action on the processes and pass the Affirmative Bill assented by the President into law.
Speedy passage of the Bill into law, the Activists argue, would guarantee access to education and job opportunities to more women and other vulnerable groups.
Hajia Alima Sagito Saeed, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency (SIRDA), who led the activists to mark a week-long celebration of global action for inequality, noted that most women if given the opportunity could contribute significantly to the development of the nation.
She said however that women were denied certain opportunities, which suppressed them and made them voiceless, adding that such relegation could not help to achieve the Sustainability Development Goals the country was yearning for.
According to her, women especially, were denied certain job opportunities in both private and public sector institutions,against their fundamental human rights.
“If we want to reduce the inequality issues in Ghana, the passing of the affirmative bill into law and the enforcement of other human rights laws would help to address the issues at hand,” she said.
The celebration was attended by representatives from the government sector agencies, academia, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), media and other stakeholders.
She said inequality affected the status quo of the country, and indicated that, the positive roles citizens played could help in the response against discrimination, and the amendment of traditional norms that suppressed women’s roles and retarded their economic growth.
The SIRDA CEO called for change in mindset towards women indecision making, saying “most of the women are denied involvement in decision making, thereby rendering them voiceless, which I think needs to be stopped to enhance equal participation to bring development in the country”.
Hajia Laminatu Adam, a member of Songtaba, an NGO in the northern region, stressed the need to stand up against people who make derogatory statements about women and vulnerable groups in society.
“Anyone who makes offensive statements against women and other vulnerable persons in society should be brought to book to deter others from such acts. These people deserve the maximum respect accorded everyone.”
Mr Phillip Gmabi, Technical Advisor for Policy and Governance at the Ghana Developing Communities Association (GDCA), said there was the need to address issues of inequality, especially those involving women and other vulnerable groups and therefore called on government and other stakeholders to put in place measures to help ensure equality for all.
Source: GNA