A Former Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Ms Dakoa Newman, has called for an end to politicising gen ­der-based violence.

She said it should be “treated as a national emergency.”

According to her, politicising gender-based violence was harmful, as it distracts and deters women from achieving their political dreams.

“Gender-based violence in politics should not be politicised. If we truly want more women to participate, we must address these issues collec­tively. Some women are tagged with names such as witches, prostitutes just for contesting for elections.”

She said this during an engage­ment with non-elected women par­liamentary candidates organised by Abantu for Development.

The session was on the theme “Strengthening Activism for a Gen­der-Responsive Elections 2024 in Ghana.”

The ex-MP for Okaikwei South stated that “Standing for election requires courage and sacrifice. As women, we often give up time with our families, our children, and our personal lives to pursue leadership. Whether you win or not, that effort must be recognised.”

Ms Newman noted that losing an election, while painful, should not mark the end of a political career. “It can be a stepping stone to new opportunities in governance and party leadership,” she added.

Recalling her own experienc­es during the 2024 elections, she stressed that political violence dis­courages many women from entering politics.

On financing, she urged partners and stakeholders to go beyond work­shops and invest directly in women aspirants. “Financing is the number one barrier. Without resources, wom­en cannot effectively compete. Or­ganisations must support candidates with funding, research, and constitu­ency-specific tools,” she emphasised.

Dr Mensah-Kutin, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Abantu for Devel­opment, revealed that 119 women contested in the 2024 parliamentary elections, out of which 78 did not win their seats.

She stressed that their contribu­tions remained important for shaping future advocacy and strengthening women’s representation.

She also noted that although the Affirmative Action Law was passed in 2024, it came too close to the elections to be fully implemented, making platforms such as this engage­ment critical in pushing for increased participation of women in gover­nance.

She called for full implementation of the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act, 2024 (Act 1121), noting that its 30 per cent quota must be applied strictly across all levels of governance.

The event was supported by the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) which seeks to reflect on the experiences of women candidates during the elections.

 By Linda Abrefi Wadie