Vote Massively For Women Parliamentary Candidates—Hajia Boforo

Honourable Boforo, Mary Salifu (Hajia), Member of Parliament (MP) for Savelugu has called on Ghanaians to vote enormously for women contesting Parliamentary seats in this year’s election.

She said the November 7 general elections especially that of the parliamentary present an opportunity to increase the number of women in parliament as part of efforts to attain gender parity by 2030.

Delivering a statement on the floor of Parliament on behalf of the Women Caucus of Parliament on the celebration of the 2016 International Women’s Day, in Her capacity as the Chairperson of the Women Caucus, she said the World and Ghana in particular have much to celebrate, but was quick to add that “progress towards achieving gender parity has slowed in many places”.

On March 8 annually, countries celebrate the contributions of women to the socio-economic and political achievements of their nation. This day is also set aside to reflect and renew commitments towards the achievement of gender parity in all orbs of human endeavors.

The United Nations adopted “Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality as the global theme for this year’s celebration of the International Women’s Day.

Ghana on the other hand chose “Gender Equality by 2030: Inclusion of All for Ghana’s Sustainable Development”.

A report by the World Economic Forum in 2015 predicted a hundred and seventeen (117) years; that is until 2133 for the world to achieve global gender parity.

However, Hajia Boforo, regardless of been “alarmed and saddened” by the report, still deems that the theme for this year’s celebration in Ghana is possible if everybody vow to support and move towards achieving the target.

“Despite this revelation, I still have hope. I believe that achieving gender parity by 2030 as declared in the Ghana’s theme for this year’s celebration is possible if everyone; men and women in this country can pledge to take a concrete step individually and collectively now”, she opined.

The First Deputy Majority Chief Whip, Hon. Mary Boforo admitted that the goal would not be attained on a silver platter because “challenges rooted in our culture still remain, our young girls are still being forced into early marriages; our women are still battered by their partners and husbands”.

But furthered that “we need to collectively tackle these issues head-on if we are to succeed and keep the promise of our young girls alive. We need to eradicate socio-cultural practices, norms and societal attitudes that discourage women from engaging in wage employment and in some occupations such as commercial driving, welding and auto mechanics”, she lamented.

Hajia Mary Salifu Boforo, who is in her twenth (20) year as an MP noted that the country must improve upon the 10.9% representation of women in Parliament and urged Corporate businesses in the country to give more opportunities to women.

Tough this year happens to be her last year as MP; she ardently urged the good people of Ghana to rally behind women in politics and beseeched Ghanaians to vote for women who want to represent their constituents in Parliament.

“This year’s Parliamentary elections present yet another critical opportunity to increase the number of women in this august House as we make every effort to attain gender parity by 2030. It is time this country improve upon the 10.9% representation of women in Parliament”.

“On behalf of the Women Caucus, I wish to make a passionate appeal to the people of this country to vote massively for our women parliamentary candidates in the forthcoming polls”, she supplicated