Dr Harrison Kofi Belley, the Head of the Department of Governance Studies at Evangelical Presbyterian University College (EPUC) in Ho, has called for more support for women to participate in decision-making and governance processes in the country. He said women's participation and representation in the decision-making and governance processes of the country was paramount to enhancing development. Dr Belley, speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, urged the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to offer the necessary support to women and encourage them to take up more political positions in the country. He said the low level of participation of women in the upcoming district assembly election, was a worrying situation. The Governance Expert, however, said the situation could be attributed to factors, including a lack of a conducive environment and an equal level playing field for women. Dr Belley also mentioned stigmatisation and the notion that politics was not for women but fo r men as another factor, hindering and discouraging women from vying for political positions. Monetisation of the politics, the Lecturer said was another contributing factor to women's inability to participate in the electoral process of the country, as most of them did not have the financial capability. Dr Belley said conscious effort must be made to motivate women, and build their capacity and confidence level so they could participate more in the governance processes of the country. Source: Ghana News Agency
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