The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has expressed his dissatisfaction with the poor representation of women in parliament. He said this was not good for inclusive governance and participatory democracy.
He made these remarks at a public forum in Tamale, which was part of the activities to celebrate 30 years of the Fourth Republic Constitution. He urged more women to get involved in politics and governance.
Currently, only 40 out of 275 MPs are women, which is 14.5 percent. This is a slight improvement from 2011, when the percentage was 8.3. However, Ghana still ranks low on the Gender Inequality Index, which measures gender disparity in three dimensions: reproductive health, empowerment, and economic status.
The Speaker also lamented the poor representation of persons with disabilities and the youth in parliament. He said these groups were vital for the development of the country and should have more voice in decision-making.
He contrasted Ghana’s situation with that of Rwanda, which has the highest proportion of women in parliament in the world, with 60 percent. He said Rwanda was an example of how gender equality can enhance democracy and development.
