Comfort Darbo, an assembly member and women’s activist, has urged feminist, women groups and other civil society organisations to vigorously push towards getting the Affirmative Action Bill passed.
That, she noted, had been urgent as moves were being made to amend the 1992 Constitution to allow for the election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), which could affect women’s representation at the lowest tier of the country’s political administration.
According to Ms Darbo, given the enormous challenges they faced, contesting elections, the gender stereotypes, lack of financial resources, psychological and traditional barriers, Affirmative Action, would provide the remedy for women representation in all spheres of their endeavour.
“We need to have a strong voice, the interminable wait must end, my expectation is that, the amendment of the constitution to allow political party participation in district assembly and unit committee elections, will provide the opportunity for the leadership of the parties to encourage, assist and support more of our women members to be elected to the assemblies and unit committees.
“The citizenry will decide through a referendum the election of MMDCEs on December 17, 2019, and there is broad support and assistance for the idea of electing MMDCEs, as that will mean devolution of more executive power and resources to local governance,” Ms Darbo stressed. -GNA
