Proper monitoring needed to ensure Affirmative Action Bill achieves it objectives – Shiela Minkah-Premo

Convener of the Affirmative Action Bill Coalition, Shiela Minkah-Premo has emphasised the need for proper monitoring to ensure the Affirmative Action Gender Equity Bill 2024 which was passed by Parliament on July 30 achieves it targets.

The bill targets 30 percent women representation in key decision-making positions from now, 2024 to 2026 in both public and private sectors.

From 2026 to 2028, the set target is 40 percent and then the country would aim at achieving the Sustainable Development Goal 7 target of 50 percent by 2030.

The Gender and Social Welfare Committee in the bill noted, that it will be difficult to achieve the bill objective due to some traditional and cultural beliefs but Shiela Minka -Premo says a lot of education and sensitization would have to be done.

‘’The only way to deal with those things is by a lot of education, a lot of sensitisation pointing out that some women from my community where there is a belief that women shouldn’t go far in education, their main objective is to marry…women have risen and have become doctors, lawyers etc etc and are also contributing their quota.’’

Shiela Minka-Premo said the bill if well implemented and monitored would close the gap and address the gender imbalances.

‘’They (Gender Equity Committee of the Gender Ministry) will have to find out from all the sectors where we are. In Parliament we are only at 14.5 percent, among the ministers, cabinet ministers a certain percentage, everywhere. Judiciary there’s a certain percentage. Once you get the baseline, every year they would expect reports from various sectors to see how far they’ve gone and measure to see whether we’ve reached the 30 percent or not.’’

She also said another thing that would have to done would be ‘’the development of a register of women with certain types of qualifications that would be needed to fill in certain sectors.’’

The affirmative action bill has featured in many parliaments under the Fourth Republic and finally passed in the 8th Parliament.

The bill which is to create an equitable society as well as address the socio-cultural, political, economic, and educational imbalances.

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