Examining the Prospect of Electoral Gender Quota System in Ghanaian Political Parties.

Kubi, Michael (2025) Examining the Prospect of Electoral Gender Quota System in Ghanaian Political Parties. Doctoral thesis, The Open University of Tanzania.

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Abstract

This study examines the prospect of implementing a gender quota system in elections within Ghanaian political parties from the perspective of grassroots actors. Despite a great deal of research and lobbying work, women in Ghana are still notably underrepresented in politics, especially in the legislature. The study used a qualitative research approach to obtain insights into how grassroots political actors perceive the gender quota system and how are they willing to accept it. Purposive and snowball sampling were used to hold a focus group discussion with 28 participants and unstructured interviews with 30 grassroots individuals. Gioia analysis was used to examine the gathered qualitative data. The findings reveal that the majority of grassroot participants disagreed with the idea of a gender quota system. Their disapproval of the system was rooted in their misgivings about perceived injustice, strong convictions in merit-based political positions, and doubts about the system's dependability. The study offers a framework for a feasible electoral gender quota system designed specifically for Ghanaian political parties based on these findings. This framework places a strong emphasis on the necessity of open and honest procedures, community involvement, unambiguous communication, equity, cultural sensitivity, striking a balance between diversity and merit, and measures to prevent tokenization. The suggested framework seeks to advance gender equality and increase the representation of women in Ghanaian politics by attending to the concerns of grassroots actors and offering workable implementation techniques. Keywords: Political Parties, Electoral Gender Quota System, Grassroots (ordinary) Political Actors, and Quota System.

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