The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has called for urgent, deliberate reforms to improve female representation in Ghana’s legislature.

He noted this during an event held on Monday, June 30, as Parliament joined the global community to observe the International Day of Parliamentarianism.

This year’s commemoration, celebrated under the theme “Achieving Gender Equality, Action by Action”, focuses on the global challenge of the underrepresentation of women in legislative bodies.

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Mr Bagbin noted that while Ghana’s parliamentary democracy has made notable strides over the past 32 years, the pace of gender inclusivity remains far below expectations.

He described the day not just as one of celebration but also one of reflection, a chance to assess democratic progress and confront structural gaps, particularly the persistent gender imbalance within Ghana’s Parliament.

“Parliamentarianism must evolve to fully reflect the society it serves,” the Speaker said, “and that cannot happen without genuine gender equity in representation, participation, and leadership.”

Citing the 2025 Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) report commemorating 30 years of the Beijing Platform for Action (BPFA), the Speaker revealed that Ghana has seen only a 6.6 percentage point increase in women’s parliamentary representation in three decades, rising from 8% in 1995 to just 14.6% in 2025.

This places Ghana 137th out of 168 countries assessed globally.

“This is a sobering statistic,” he remarked. “It underscores that Ghana is lagging behind many of its African counterparts. We must act with intention to reverse this trend.”

He warned that the lack of gender parity in parliaments limits the development of gender-responsive laws and undermines inclusive policymaking.

“Without female voices at the table, our democracy cannot be truly participatory or fully responsive to the needs of all citizens.”

On how to tackle the problem, the Speaker championed the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act, 2024 (Act 1121), which was passed last year to introduce a phased quota system for women in both public and private institutions.

He stressed that Parliament must set the standard by enforcing the law within political parties and ensure its full implementation.

“Let us not only pass laws but ensure they are realised in practice. Parliament must lead by example,” he asserted.

Mr Bagbin also called for renewed investment in the Women’s Caucus in Parliament, which he described as a vital organ in the fight for gender-inclusive lawmaking. He proposed a dedicated budget, permanent staff, and formal involvement in legislative planning to enhance the caucus’s influence in shaping national policy.

Additionally, he urged the launch of nationwide civic education campaigns aimed at fostering public support for women’s political participation. Such campaigns, he said, would help break cultural and institutional barriers discouraging women from entering public life.

To sustain progress, the Speaker called for stronger collaboration between Parliament, civil society, development partners, and academia to provide technical and logistical support for female political aspirants.

He praised initiatives like the Citizens’ Bureau Office under the Open Government Partnership, which offers a framework for boosting transparency and facilitating deeper engagement between Parliament and the citizenry.

“The road to gender equity in Parliament is a shared responsibility,” he said. “It requires not just commitment, but consistent, strategic action.”