Gender concerns must be highlighted in Election 2016

The Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Nana Oye Lithur, says there is the need for a comprehensive approach to increase the participation of women in power and decision-making.

In an interview with the GNA, Nana Oye Lithur said gender advocates are urgently required to intensify the campaign for increased participation of women in the electoral machinery.

She said Election 2016 offers advocacy platforms for the support of women’s political participation through capacity building, training and dedicated gender equality structures.

Nana Oye Lithur said in the spirit of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, Ghanaian Women recently set reinvigorated targets for the next 15 years, to ensure that women occupy their rightful positions in power and decision-making of the country.

The Gender Minister called on National Women Organisers of the political parties to hit the campaign front based on issues and serve as “Gender Apostles of Ghana Agenda 2030.”

The Ghana Agenda 2030 which is linked to the United Nations Women Agenda 2030 calls for measures to ensure that 50 per cent of vice chancellors and university professors are women.

The Agenda also calls for women to take about 60 per cent of the positions of state corporation chief executive officers; Ghana Club 100 chief executive officers and bank chief executive officers.

It also states that women must occupy 60 per cent of all ministerial portfolios.

Nana Oye Lithur called on all political parties through their women’s wings to give the Agenda 2030 the necessary support.