The Electoral Commission (EC) has been urged to as a matter of significance ensure that all subsequent voter registration exercises are conducted at polling station levels.
The stakeholders, in a gender advocacy forum in Bolgatanga, noted that such a move would ensure that all persons including women, persons with disabilities and the vulnerable had equal opportunity to be enrolled on the register to enable them to exercise their franchise during elections.
The stakeholders at the forum included gender advocacy organisations, state human rights institutions, queen mothers, persons with disabilities, assembly members among others.
Organised by Widows and Orphans Movement (WOM) in partnership with the Network for Women’s Rights in Ghana (NETRIGHT), with funding support from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), through the STAR Ghana Foundation.
The Regional Consultative and high-level forum formed part of a nationwide initiative under the theme “Advancing Gender Responsive Governance and Inclusive Democracy in Ghana,” as part of post-election accountability.
The key issues stakeholders reflected on was the 2024 electoral process, examined the challenges encountered, and explored strategic recommendations to enhance electoral transparency and gender inclusiveness.
Madam Hannah Talata Asanyuure, Assembly member for Anafobisi in the Bongo District, observed that due to the idea by the EC to conduct the limited voter registration at district offices of the EC, many vulnerable people were denied the opportunity to get registered.
“A lot of the women and persons with disability could not travel that distance to register and because of that they were not able to get registered to enable them vote”, she said.
She therefore appealed to the EC to prioritise inclusion of women and persons with disability during its exercises and ensure that all activities were done at the polling stations or electoral area levels to give true meaning to the participatory democracy the country was practicing.
Mr Alexis Ayamdor, the Industrial Liaison Officer at the Bolgatanga Technical University noted that women and persons with disabilities were the most affected during processes and electioneering periods.
Mr Ayamdor, who is a former District Chief Executive for Bongo, called for strategic policies that empowered women in the electoral process to achieve gender inclusion.
Speaking on behalf of NETRIGHT, Ms Abigail Adomolga, the Gender and Child Protection Manager at Youth Harvest Foundation, Ghana, a member of NETRIGHT, noted that achieving gender equality was key to enhancing sustainable development.
She said although the country had made progress with efforts to achieve gender equality, more is needed to be done and urged government to ensure that the Affirmative Action Law was fully implemented.
Ms Elizabeth Anafo, Programmes Coordinator, WOM, said prior to the election, her outfit and its partners had implemented several interventions aimed at advancing gender equality and women’s representation.
She said it was therefore necessary to review what happened, the successes and challenges and brainstorm the wayforward.
GNA
