Aya Institute hosts ‘Ghana Decides Gender Watch’ 2024

The Aya Institute over the weekend commenced its quadrennial electioneering initiative, ‘Ghana Decides Gender Watch’(GDGW) 2024, a research and advocacy initiative, aimed at tracking and highlighting gender dynamics in Ghana’s election 2024.  

The curated flagship electioneering initiative is aimed at throwing the spotlight on women and elections, with its first episode held on October 5 and a post-election analysis to be held on December 14 , 2024.  

In a release issued to the Ghana News Agency on Monday, in Accra, said the GDGW 24, was meant to track, highlight and research key gender dynamics leading to the 2024 elections.  

The main highlight of GDGW 2024, is the ‘Gender Watch Podcast’, hosting twelve episodes with gender scholars and activists engaging in conversations on inclusion and democracy, media representation, GESI analysis of manifestos of political parties, and women and political office in Ghana.  

It said the GDGW would host representatives of political parties for an hour of conversation, on plans for Ghanaian women.   

“There are engaging segments such as ‘GenStats’, a 10-minute presentation of statistically rendered research by scholars and ‘Vox Populi’, a five-minute curated voice on the views of citizens.”  

“2024 World Economic Forum statistics states that, it will take an average of 95 years to attempt to close the political gender gap. The Institute asserts that the low levels of gender consciousness prevailing in both the private and public spheres contribute to the global low political participation of women including Ghana.”  

The release said the GDGW 2024, sought to bridge the gap, as the country entered the season of rigorous election campaigns by promoting gender sensitive content.  

It will provide the platform for Ghanaian women, and those with their interests at heart to engage with political information and make decisive voting choices on December 7,2024.  

It said the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, had called on states to hold regular, free, fair and transparent elections.   

“In so doing, African countries are encouraged to take steps to ensure that all citizens have a meaningful political voice, encompassing the freedoms and practice of active engagement in public and political life as voters, citizens and participants in political processes. All these have been captured in conversations on the ‘Gender Watch Podcast.”  

The release said Ghana, with its population and voter register as a female majority, was yet to see any significant representation after three decades of democracy.   

“We are yet to consider that, a functioning democracy is inclusive, and that it makes economic and business sense.”  

“The ‘Gender Watch Podcast’, which is a cocktail of all the conversations on gender and the 2024 elections, will probe the potency of political capital out of the women’s vote. It will be hosted on ‘Spotify-Gender Watch by Aya Institute and YouTube-Aya Institute for Women.”  

Source: GNA