The Affirmative Action Bill Coalition, spearheaded by a consortium of civil society organizations (CSOs), has committed to ensuring the effective implementation of the recently passed Affirmative Action Bill.
Convenor of the Coalition, Sheila Minkah-Premo disclosed this commitment during an appearance on Joy FM’s Newsfile on Saturday, August 3.
“The Affirmative Action Bill Coalition pushed for this law, and has a twofold objective; one is to push to have the law, and once the law is enacted, to also push for its effective implementation.”
Drawing on her past experience with the Domestic Violence Act, Madam Minkah-Premo highlighted the Coalition’s readiness to collaborate with the relevant ministries to develop the necessary regulations and legislative instruments for the Affirmative Action Bill which is now an Act awaiting presidential assent.
“After the Domestic Violence Act was passed, we worked together with the [Gender] Ministry, developed the implementing legislation, and did other things to ensure that the law worked. We are bringing the same kind of energy into this law,” she explained.
Madam Minkah-Premo emphasised the Coalition’s ongoing support in the post-enactment phase, pledging to work closely with the ministry to develop the regulations needed for the law’s execution.
“Having helped to push to have this Affirmative Action Bill passed in Parliament, we will also help with implementation. We will work with the ministry in developing the relevant regulations or legislative instruments required for it,” she affirmed.
One of the immediate tasks following the bill’s passage is the establishment of a Gender Equity Committee, which will be responsible for developing a comprehensive plan of action.
The private legal practitioner stressed the importance of forming this committee promptly and assured that the Coalition would assist in this process.
“We also want to ensure that as early as possible, this committee is put together. One of the key things is to come up with a plan of action, and we will work with them on that,” she noted.
Parliament has just passed the Affirmative Action bill awaiting presidential assent to become a law.
The Affirmative Action Gender Equity Bill 2024, which has been in and out of Parliament for over a decade, was finally passed unanimously by the House.
Among other things, the bill is expected to ensure that a critical number of women hold key positions in governance, public life, and decision-making spaces, thereby improving the lives of women and under-represented groups in the country.
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