The Member of Parliament for Asokwa, Patricia Appiagyei, has urged African legislatures to strengthen gender-responsive lawmaking as a deliberate and structured process, rather than one driven by goodwill.
She made the call at a two-day African Centre for Parliamentary Affairs (ACEPA) Forum, organised in partnership with the Parliament of Ghana. The event, held at the Alisa Hotel in Accra from November 26–27, was themed “Parliament–CSO–Citizen Collaboration on Gender-Responsive Lawmaking: Experiences and Pathways from Ghana, Kenya, and Togo.”
Speaking on behalf of the Women’s Caucus and the Parliament of Ghana, she stressed that gender analysis must be systematically integrated into all aspects of parliamentary work — from rules of procedure and committee deliberations to budget oversight, policy frameworks, and monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.
“And I believe this should be a deliberate effort. Gender analysis should not depend on goodwill. It must be embedded in standing orders, committee procedures, budget scrutiny frameworks, and monitoring and evaluation systems,” she said.
She further emphasised that legislative decisions must translate into tangible improvements in the lives of citizens, particularly women and girls. These, she noted, should reflect in access to health, education, skills development, economic opportunities, safety and protection, as well as representation in leadership.
“Finally, our people, especially women and girls, must see and feel the impact of legislative decisions in access to health, education and skills, economic opportunities, safety and protection, and representation in leadership,” she stated.
The forum brought together parliamentarians, civil society organisations and citizens from across Africa to share experiences and chart pathways for advancing inclusive and gender-responsive governance.
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Story by Kelvin Owusu Andam | univers.ug.edu.gh
Edited by Gabriel Tecco Mensah
