Mrs Joyce Afutu, Director of Communication of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), has advised women to aspire for higher positions.

She said women should see themselves equally capable and qualified as their male counterparts in leadership positions.

Mrs Afutu made the remarks at a workshop for women contestants in the unit and district assembly elections in the Ablekuma Central District.

She said there had not been significant increase in women’s representations in governance, hence the need for the European Union to canvass for more support for them at the district levels.

Mr Tetteh Wayo, Accra Metropolitan Director of the NCCE, a resource person, said the ability to make an impact in the communities depended on the effective participation of women.

He urged them not to feel intimidated but exhibit decency, discipline and confidence when canvassing for votes.

Mr Wayo described the 2015 assembly elections as crucial to women because of the development goals target of at least getting 30 per cent representation of women in decision making.

The participants identified the low representation of women due to growing “monetisation” of politics, political violence and intimidation among other things that created insecurity and barriers to women.

They suggested a legal provision of financial support to encourage women to aspire for higher political positions.

Mr Gagakuma Kwesi Setriakor, Ablekuma District NCCE Officer, expressed worry about the low participation of women in the assembly election this year with about nine women contesting in the district and called for concerted efforts to get more women involved in future.