Women Group petition N/R Minister to facilitate passage of Affirmative Action Bill

Some women in the Northern Region on March 8 presented a petition to the Northern Regional Minister Salifu Saeed, calling on government to facilitate the passage of the Affirmative Action Bill into law.  The women raised several issues including women not given fair representation in the country especially in political and governance space. Presenting the petition to the Northern Regional Minister on behalf of the women,  Mrs Ussif Awulatu said the specific benefits for  women is loudly absent from all the major agricultural sector interventions outlined in the 2018 budget and economic policy of government. “The 2018 budget is silent on the percentage of targeted beneficiaries of agricultural programs and intervention for women so we believe that when the Affirmative Action Bill is passed into law, it will provide a framework for addressing cases of gender inequalities against women”. The women also took to the streets of Tamale to mark this year’s International Women’s Day celebration. The Day was under the theme “Women Too: press for progress as game-changers to Develop Ghana”. The Regional Minister Salifu Saeed on his part said knowing the president as a human rights advocate will ensure the processes for the passage of the bill will be duly followed for it to be passed into law. 2017 GMB winner Zainab also pleaded with government and other stakeholders to support the movement for the passage of the affirmative action bill into law so that women can also contribute their quota to the development of the country. The march by the women was organized by Care International and NORSAAC. By Zubaida Ismail|3news.com|Ghana]]>