Women groups in the Upper East Region, have pledged to vote for women parliamentary candidates contesting this year's election in the region.The groups comprised people from the Police, Prisons, Fire Service, Market Women's and Hairdressers Associations. The women expressed their commitment on at a public forum held in Bolgatanga.

The forum was organized in collaboration with Abantu for Development, a non-governmental organization (NGO) in the area of gender promotion, and the Women's Manifesto Coalition.  It was aimed at ensuring a conflict-free-election as well as analysing some critical issues relating to gender, health, education, food, and the environment. Speakers at the public forum concurred that a vote for a woman was a vote for development and conflict free election. 

The Executive Director for Community Self-Reliance Centre, Phillip Ayamba, said women issues were central to development and for that matter they ought to be given the opportunity to serve in Parliament. He said discrimination against women still exists and it is only morally right that women, who constitute majority of the population, vote for their fellow women to go to Parliament.

A retired civil servant, Emmanuel Atongi called on women to be peace brokers and peacemakers during the forthcoming general elections.  He asked on politicians to restrain their followers from using abusive and libelous statements when they mount platforms. Out of the 63 parliamentary candidates from the various political parties in the Region’s 13 constituencies, only six are women.