The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has commended the country for generally having a good record for drafting progressive, and rights-responsive policies which accede to international human right treaties,.
The commission, however, expressed worry about enforcement challenges of some of the policies. Madam Kathleen Addy, Chairperson of the NCCE, said this at a workshop organised by the Commission to sensitise female Members of Parliament (MPs) in Ghana on the Affirmative Action Law (Gender Equity) Act.
Madam Addy noted that successive governments found it challenging to enforce or implement their own human right policies, disclosing further that the Gender Equity Committee and other provisions in the Act appear designed to address this long-standing implementation challenge.
She disclosed further that there was a growing backlash towards affirmative action legal regimes, especially in the United States adding that there was nothing in (Gender Equity) Act that shall prevent Parliament from enacting laws that are reasonably necessary to provide for the implementation of policies and programmes aimed at redressing social, economic or educational imbalance in the Ghanaian society.
According to her, the law provided that, “the State shall actively promote the integration of the peoples of Ghana and prohibit discrimination and prejudice on the grounds of place of origin, circumstances of birth, ethnic origin, gender or religion, creed or other beliefs.”
She added that the State is also enshrined to take appropriate measures to achieve reasonable regional and gender balance in recruitment and appointment to public office and also, prohibit gender-based discrimination.
Madam Addy also noted that the law implies that anybody who discriminate against anybody based on gender, is liable on summary conviction to a fine of not less than five hundred penalty units and not more than one thousand penalty units or to a term of imprisonment of not less than six months and not more than twelve months, or to both.
She also noted that complaints about Gender Inequity orally or in writing could be submitted to the Parliamentary Gender Committee or the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice CHRAJ, adding that if the complianant is dissatisfied with administrative justice remedy, they might proceed to a high court for review or appeal.
“The resolution of grievances will be free being given to CHRAJ or the Committee, but CHRAJ is more accessible than the Committee,” she emphasised.
She therefore charged the female MPs to take steps to empower female workers to boldly report their grievances and ensure the strict enforcement of the Affirmative Action Law to foster gender equity in the country.
Source: GNA
