Action Aid Ghana, a non-governmental organisation, has organised a ceremony in the Upper East Region to mark this year's International Women's Day, with a call on government to involve more women in the decision making process. Participants at the function in Bolgatanga called on government, to stop paying lip service to the commitment to give fair and equal representation to women in governance. The day on the theme: "Equal Rights, Equal Opportunity Progress for All", attracted assembly women, aspiring assembly women, representatives of the political parties and civil society groups. The participants claimed that women representation in Parliament has time immemorial remained under 10 per cent. They said currently the total number of parliamentarians constituted only 8.6 per cent. The participants appealed to stakeholders to rally behind women to facilitate their effective participation in local government elections. "We particularly want to call on government to fulfill its promise of 40 per cent representation for women, especially directing all district assemblies to ensure that 40 per cent of government appointees are women." In a speech read on his behalf, Regional Programme Manager of Action Aid, Mr Michael Lumour indicated that though Ghana is a signatory to many international conventions including women's rights, there is no concrete backing to the implementation process. He stressed the need for political parties to come out with long-term strategic framework to ensure that there is gender equality in the dispensation of their activities and programmes. Mrs Stella Nayinbil, Regional President of the caucus of assembly women advised women contesting for the district assembly elections to be bold and resolute and start their campaign programmes on time. Source: GNA