GenCED Calls on President Mahama to Increase Female Representation in Government

The Gender Centre for Empowering Development (GenCED) West Africa is calling on President John Dramani Mahama to take steps to increase female representation within his government. The organization emphasized that during his campaign and in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) manifesto, President Mahama promised to implement affirmative action by reserving 30% of his government appointments for women. GenCED believes it is crucial for the president to fulfill this commitment.

At a recent post-election forum on women’s participation in the 2024 general elections, Gifty Ofori, the Programs/Monitoring and Evaluation Officer at GenCED, congratulated President Mahama for selecting a female running mate, who is now Ghana’s Vice President. While acknowledging this positive move, Ofori appealed to the president to ensure that at least 30% of all government appointments are filled by women, as per his campaign pledge.

Ofori also shared findings from a GenCED research study, which revealed that low female participation in the 2024 elections was largely due to financial constraints. Many women faced significant barriers to engaging in the electoral process, and GenCED urged political parties to address these issues. The organization also called for the establishment of mentorship programs for women candidates, similar to the mentorship and support structures that are often available to men through political “godfathers.”

In conclusion, GenCED is advocating for more concrete actions to empower women in politics, urging not only President Mahama but also all political parties to ensure greater representation of women at all levels of governance. Through policy changes and systemic support, GenCED believes that Ghana can make meaningful progress toward gender equity in the political arena.