The Henry Djaba Memorial Foundation has called for an end to all-male media panels in Ghana, describing them as “undemocratic” and “a danger to democracy.”
According to the foundation, women make up over half of Ghana’s population but are vastly underrepresented in media discussions, with only 14% of experts featured in Ghanaian media being women.
In a statement, the Executive Director of the Henry Djaba Memorial Foundation, Otiko Afisah Djaba, emphasized that the exclusion of women from media panels is “unjust, inexcusable, unacceptable and indefensible.”
The former Gender and Social Protection Minister added that “all-male panels (manels) are increasingly viewed as outdated, unjust, a dangerous threat to democracy and inconsistent with the principles of inclusive governance.”
The call is part of broader efforts to accelerate gender equality and ensure women’s voices are heard in national conversations.
Otiko Djaba noted, “The media cannot claim to advance justice while silencing half the population. The media, as the fourth pillar of our democracy, must reflect the diversity of all Ghana’s voices.”
The foundation highlights several instances of all-male panels on prominent TV shows, including Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana and Joy News File, arguing that this exclusion perpetuates inequality and undermines democracy.
The foundation demands that media institutions adopt gender-balanced panel policies and develop national databases of qualified women experts.
‘No woman, no panel’ is the foundation’s stance, emphasizing that true representation requires moving beyond tokenism to meaningful participation.
