The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Ghana, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), is working to increase the participation of women in governance and decision making especially with the upcoming District Assembly election.
It aims at creating space for women's interaction with governance machinery to push women's concerns onto the political agenda of government and political parties.
This will be done in a manner that will trigger timely and targeted multi-dimensional actions to eliminate discrimination against women in political governance.
Mad Saratu Mahama, the Northern Regional Coordinator of FIDA, said this at a durbar of chiefs and traditional leaders on women participation in decision making in Tamale at the weekend.
She called for more women to be given the chance and be voted for in the upcoming District Assembly election to deepen the country's democratic governance.
Mad Mahama said women's participation in politics had been low because most women lack skills, confidence and political support.
She said financial resources were also a constraint to women since in most patriarchal societies women cannot own property nor have money of their own.
She said there are only 18 members of parliament out of 230 and the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly has only 6 women out of 78.
Madam Saratu said although the number of women in politics was increasing, vital work remained to be done in order to attain true gender equality in governance.
She said the country had emerged as a good example of a country working towards the consolidation of democracy but it must eliminate the barriers to give more women the opportunity to contribute to governance.
Madam Adishetu Issahaku, Gender Desk Officer of the Tamale Metropolis, said women were known to be having good lobbying skills and when given the opportunity to participate in politics, they could contribute to the country's development.