Tamale, July 20, GNA - The Centre for Human Rights and Advocacy, a Tamale-based human rights group, has appealed to women in the Tamale Metropolis and Yendi district to contest in the District Assembly Elections scheduled for August 11. The Centre, in a press statement issued in Tamale on Monday and signed by Mr. Issah Mohammed, the Executive Director, called on women to accept the challenge of contesting in view of the extremely low number of women elected in previous elections.

"We have confidence in the ability of our women to contribute positively in the development processes of their community and this can be achieved only when society accepts and encourage women's participation in the decision-making process," the group said. It appealed to civil society organisations, traditional rulers and religious bodies to encourage and support women candidates to contest in the forthcoming polls.

The Centre therefore, called on interested women to file their nominations as a matter of urgency, to qualify as candidates for the elections.