He promised that his government would make sure that women hold at least 30% of the positions.
Speaking during the NDC’s launch of the Women’s Manifesto in Kumasi on Monday, September 30, he said “Why should poverty have a female face in Ghana? The majority of unemployed people in Ghana are women.”
He added “We want a Ghana where economic empowerment is a right. We’ll ensure women hold at least 30 percent appointments in government by 2025. Maternity leave will be extended to four months while fathers will enjoy one-week paternity leave. Men must provide proof.”
Mr. Mahama went on to say that although women have contributed substantially to our country’s development, gender inequity is still widespread, especially in the informal sector.. This significant industry accounts for as much as 30–40% of Ghana’s GDP.
He claimed that this circumstance has made poverty among women worse, as seen by the 2020 Census, which shows that 3.76 million of Ghana’s 7.3 million impoverished individuals are women.
“In fact, nearly 54% of unemployed people in Ghana are women. Why should poverty have a female face in Ghana, with 1.44 million women classified as extremely poor, and living on less than $1.90 a day? Why should poverty have any face at all? These numbers should not just shock us; they should spur us to act.
“These statistics tell a painful story. Behind each number is a woman – perhaps a mother, a sister, or a daughter – who works tirelessly every day but still goes to bed hungry. They are the backbone of our communities, yet they bear the heaviest burdens of
inequality.”
