John Darko calls for stronger women’s representation in Parliament

The Member of Parliament for Suame, John Darko, has called for greater representation of women in Parliament and other leadership positions, warning that their underrepresentation limits the range of perspectives shaping national decisions. Speaking at an event organised by the Young African Women Congress Network (YAWC Network) in Accra on Monday, October 26, he said Ghana was missing out on the skills, experience and ideas women could contribute to national development. “A democracy that excludes women from meaningful participation in political and economic decision-making deprives itself of the competence, experiences and perspectives of substantial portions of its citizens,” he said. Mr Darko described women’s participation in political leadership as essential to an effective and representative democracy. He noted that although women make up approximately half of Ghana’s population, their representation in Parliament remains disproportionately low. “Ghana’s Parliament presently comprises 276 members, of whom only 41 are women. Women constitute approximately half of our population, yet their presence in the principal institution responsible for making laws, approving national expenditure and scrutinising our executive authority remains disproportionately low,” he said. Representing the Minority Leader at the event, Mr Darko urged stakeholders to intensify efforts to remove barriers preventing women from participating fully in political and economic decision-making. YAWC marks 10 years of advocacy The event formed part of activities marking the tenth anniversary of the Young African Women Congress Network, which advocates greater opportunities and representation for women and girls. The network’s Global President, Dr Stephanie Wirba, said that despite progress over the past decade, many girls and women continued to face barriers to education, healthcare, employment and leadership. “We have won battles, but we have not won the war. Our girls are still out of school, our mothers are still dying in childbirth, our girls are still married before they can vote, and a woman is still asked for sex to get a job,” she said. Dr Wirba’s remarks highlighted what she described as persistent challenges facing women and girls, despite efforts to advance gender equality. Calls for stronger implementation of affirmative action The Executive Director of the Young African Women Congress, Daniel Osei Tuffuor, called on public institutions to move beyond commitments and take concrete steps to expand opportunities for women and girls. He questioned the progress made in implementing Ghana’s affirmative action legislation and urged authorities to demonstrate greater commitment to putting agreed measures into practice. “It’s been how many years now since we passed the affirmative action bill, have we been able to achieve even 20% of that? Our authorities have to be intentional about implementation these bills. Until they are intentional, we will go and come, go and come and still be at where we are,” he said. He added that public authorities had a responsibility to implement measures designed to improve women’s representation and participation. Network shifts focus towards opportunities and mentorship As it marks its tenth anniversary, the YAWC Network says it intends to place greater emphasis on securing practical opportunities for women, alongside its advocacy work. Mentorship will also be a priority over the next decade, with established members expected to support younger women seeking to enter leadership positions. The initiative is intended to help more women develop the experience, confidence and networks needed to participate in decision-making across public and private institutions.