IEA Women’s Project

In September 2010 the IEA embarked on a 30 month project under the theme ''Towards Increased Women’s Participation and Representation in Parliament''.

In recognition of the fact that the presence of women in Ghana’s Parliament has been decreasing in terms of numbers and visibility, the objective of the programme is to:

• increase the number of women MPs up from the present 19 out of 230 to 60 out of 230 in the 2012 parliamentary elections; and
• build the capacity and the confidence of elected women MPs after the 2012 parliamentary elections to enable them to stand their own against their male counterparts and to make them more visible, audible and effective in Parliament.

Under the programme, The IEA will work with the Parliamentary political party leaders to identify a core of women to undergo training leading up to the 2012 elections. The training will equip the women with the necessary tools that will ensure their active participation and retention in Parliament.

Reports on events under this programme can be found from the ‘Media Release’ section of this website.

Women’s Manual

As part of the programme, The IEA will also be developing a Women’s Manual of strategies which would serve as a guiding document in the quest for increased women’s participation in Parliament and decision making positions.

The manual will draw upon research papers, discussions and communiqués adopted at various workshops since 2004.

Once completed, the manual is expected to be adopted and signed by the leadership of the political parties. It will then be published and launched and the commitments reached enforced and applied by the parties.