Pepper Dem Ministries has condemned the Minority MPs in Parliament who described the Member of Parliament Ayawaso West Wuogon, Lydia Alhassan as a blood widow during protests against the by-election violence in her community.
The group in a statement said, “it was appalling how the elected MP of the Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency was treated.”
The Minority also boycotted her swearing-in on Tuesday and has vowed not to regard her as a fellow legislator.
“We believe a boycott by the Minority of her swearing-in is well within their right but the resolution to name calling and shaming her for a personal tragedy; calling her ‘Bloody Widow,’ is far beneath the honourable house and should be condemned outrightly.”
The group also urged political parties to be “more circumspect in their gender posturing and to desist from weaponizing sexism, misogyny, and personal tragedies for political expediency.”
“It is our hope that all political parties committed to the cause of women who truly hope to encourage increased female participation in political leadership, will take this opportunity to audit and reassess their views on matters pertaining to gender and reorient themselves where necessary towards genuinely promoting gender equality and the fair treatment of women,” the group added in its statement.
Find below the full statement
We at PDM are angered and saddened by the recent happening in the Parliament of Ghana.
As a nation that still has a very long way to go to balance the representation of women in leadership, especially in the political arena, we deem it appalling how the elected MP of the Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency was treated yesterday. We believe a boycott by the Minority of her swearing-in is well within their right but the resolution to name calling and shaming her for a personal tragedy; calling her “Bloody Widow,” is far beneath the honorable house and should be condemned outrightly.
It is sad yet unsurprising to note that the toxic gender narratives we continuously interrogate and fight against does not exclude any woman; EVEN those who are in the highest ranks of society AND with closer proximity to power and influence. What hope then has the everyday Ghanaian woman when it comes to being spared the harmful and detrimental effects of misogyny and patriarchy in our society?
We would like to urge all political parties to be more circumspect in their gender posturing and to desist from weaponizing sexism, misogyny, and personal tragedies for political expediency. It is our hope that all political parties committed to the cause of women who truly hope to encourage increased female participation in political leadership, will take this opportunity to audit and reassess their views on matters pertaining to gender and reorient themselves where necessary towards genuinely promoting gender equality and the fair treatment of women.
Finally, we would like to call on all political parties to address the creeping menace of hooliganism and vigilantism in our politics especially when it concerns elections. We would like to further urge the police and all applicable security forces to ensure safety for all, particularly the most vulnerable, and to see to it that perpetrators of horrendous crimes are brought to book.
#PepperDemMinistries
#UnlearningToxicGenderNarratives
–
By: citinewsroom.com | Ghana