Shamima Muslim Shares Thoughts On Why Women Are Missing From The Top Of Ghanaian Politics

• The convener of the Alliance for Women in Media Africa, Shamima Muslim, has bemoaned the economic barriers for women in politics
• Muslim stressed that the politics in Ghana has now become dominated by money and a politician's financial clout
• She suggested the use of advocacy to force the NPP and NDC to adopt women running mates for elections

The convener of the Alliance for Women in Media Africa, Shamima Muslim, noted the continued economic barriers women have to surmount to get to the top of Ghanaian politics.

The former broadcaster explained to YEN.com.gh that the high financial barriers mean women may have to be indebted to men for campaign financing.

"Politics is about money. So you are either financing it yourself or finding other people to finance it. So who do they have to go to? It is men,” she said.

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Over the years, Ghana's two leading political parties have seen just one woman make a bid for the flagbearer slot.

Ahead of the 2012 election, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings tried unsuccessfully to be the flagbearer of NDC but eventually became the first woman presidential candidate in Ghana.

The governing party, NPP, currently has 10 men and no women contesting to become the flagbearer, which does not surprise Muslim.

She noted that because Ghanaians have not given enough regard to women in politics, it doesn't represent a sound investment for them.

"They cannot come up with that kind of money to file for a contest they know they will not win," she said.

Push for women running mates

Muslim does not expect a woman presidential candidate for the major political parties in the near future.

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Moving forward, she said one step in the right direction would be to push for the two leading parties in Ghana to field women running mates in future elections.

"We women should push now for at least the two political parties to field women running mates. That is like a 50-50 chance that women will rise to the high office of the second most important person in the land for the first time in our history.”

In this regard, she also urged the media to improve the coverage of women in politics to help close the gender gap.

Ghana's current ranking in the World Economic Forum Global Gender Gap Report is 108.

First Lady's influence in politics

Earlier, YEN.com.gh described a number of First Ladies as women who have done significant things in politics.

Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, Lordina Mahama, and Rebecca Akufo-Addo were listed in this regard. Also listed was the wife of the current Vice President, Samira Bawumia.

Source: YEN.com.gh