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Affirmative Action Act Emasculates Men in Ghana

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Submitted   Jan 1, 2025
Published   Feb 25, 2025
Issue    Vol 6 No 1 (2025)
DOI   10.25082/IJAH.2025.01.005

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Ishmael D. Norman corresponding author
[1] Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College Otu Barracks, Teshie, Accra, Ghana; [2] Institute for Security, Disaster and Emergency Studies, Sandpiper Place, Langma, Ghana

Abstract

Introduction: Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act of 2024, (Act 1121) emasculates male masculinity, autonomy of women and human flourishing in Ghana. It creates the delusion that patriarchal society is paternalistically protecting women no matter how evanescent.
Methods: This is an exploratory review of the Affirmative Action law, using the case-study approach to explain the law, identify the implementation challenges likely to emerge and the effect on male masculinity and human flourishing. Content analyses of complimentary legislation and policies on human rights were conducted, aided by lessons from other jurisdictions with Affirmative Action laws.
Results: Act 1121 of 2024 provides Schedules for implementation that is likely to cause institutional misalignment and upheaval due to the pre-fixed quotas for women to be employed by public institutions without regard to meritocracy. The Act promotes gender-conscious discrimination against certain classes of men by denying them equal opportunity. It denies autonomy of some women, who may not need the program in order to flourish. It creates exceptionalism for women for employment, appointments and promotes entitlement mentality among women. The validity of the Act is evanescent, which could lead to new forms of discrimination, mediocrity in task performance, and social exclusion of women. The key question is: How long would the Affirmative Action program in Ghana last?
Conclusion: Compelling society to accept Affirmative Act Law as designed by the Executive is unconstitutional. It goes against the spirit of the international conventions that were relied upon to promulgate Act 1121 of 2024, making it an illegal Act “ab initio”. Singapore, a somewhat comparator nation, practices meritocracy which provides a just and equal opportunity for all, an example which Ghana could have followed.

Keywords
Affirmative Action Act, gender-based discrimination, evanescent law, feminine gender studies, masculine gender studies, meritocracy, human rights, Ghana

Article Details

How to Cite
Norman, I. D. (2025). Affirmative Action Act Emasculates Men in Ghana. International Journal of Arts and Humanities, 6(1), 309-326. https://doi.org/10.25082/IJAH.2025.01.005
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

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