UN Women call for an end in election related violence in Ghana

UN Women call for an end in election related violence in Ghana Story: Benjamin Xornam Glover The United Nations Entity on Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), has called on the Government and leaders of all political parties to advocate zero tolerance against any such actions which seriously limit the exercise of women’s right to vote and women’s participation in decision-making. A statement issued from the office of UN Information Centre in Accra and signed by National Programme Coordinator of the UN Women office, Ms Afua Ansre said it denounces intolerable, ongoing voters’ registration-related violence in some parts of the country were reports indicates of violent incidents involving women and men alike have been recorded in all the ten regions of Ghana, since the biometric voter registration commenced on 25th March, 2012. These incidents, it said included beatings, assaults, burning of houses and shootings affect women and children as much as they also affect men ‘UN Women describes the escalation in violence as intolerable, and therefore urges the authorities to carry out immediate, thorough, and effective investigations to stop further escalation especially as the country prepares for elections”, the statement said. “Identifying, trialing, and punishing anyone who attempts to inflict pain and intimidate others during the election process is critical to ending election-related violence. Such actions endanger the free right to vote and to run for office, as well as threaten the fundamentals of freedom of speech and freedom of assembly, which are essential to guaranteeing a free and fair democratic election process”, it noted. The UN organization said it is hopeful for a peaceful, free and fair elections and a smooth exercise of the fundamental right of all Ghanaian women and men to vote, peace is tantamount to the development of any country. It therefore urged all political parties and aspiring parliamentarians at the constituency level to promote peaceful participation of their supporters in the election process and call on supporters, particularly the youth, to refrain from violence and to respect national laws and public order. The organization which is dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women, further called on the Electoral Commission, National Commission on Civic Educational, Schools, Women Groups, Churches and Mosques and Corporate Bodies to also educate the public about the proper procedures for challenging the nationality and age of applicants in order to avoid chaotic situations at registration centers during the voter registration exercise. -End- April 18, 2012