Presidential Advisor and Special Aide to the President, Joyce Bawah Mogtari, has described as challenging the silent struggles women in politics face.

In an interview with Joy FM's Super Morning Show and monitored by GhanaWeb on Friday, August 29, 2025, she recounted moments during political campaigns that even basic necessities such as finding a washroom became an ordeal.

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"I remember in the course of the campaign, there were times when you were struggling to find a restroom, to find a bathroom. So, imagine that you are probably the only female, or there's one or two of you, with men of probably about 20, 30, and 40 of them.

"Imagine you didn't have a boss who cared about the fact that at least I have one or two females on my team or that there are a few females who work with me and that maybe something should be done. I recall Dr Omane Boamah literally had to get out of the car and hire a room, almost as if he was paying for a hotel room, just so that I could go in and use the restroom," she stated.

When asked if she had considered quitting politics because of the challenges, she responded, "On so many occasions; many, many times".

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Joyce Mogtari admitted that although she had been in the public space for some time, she was surprised by the sheer scale of the difficulties and discrimination women endure in politics across all parties.

“These are the kinds of difficulties women go through. Who makes an effort to create an enabling environment for the young female or woman in politics? Think about it.

“Women go through a lot, whether you are in the NPP, NDC, CPP, you name it. I don’t envy them at all. To be honest, I had no idea it was this bad until I came into it,” she said.

Joyce Bawah further entreated political parties to address issues such as gender abuse, discrimination, and gender violence and not to focus solely on reduction of filing fees for female candidates.

“Beyond filing fees, women suffer so much abuse and discrimination. It’s a conversation we must continue to have, and something really needs to be done,” Joyce Bawah noted.

She urged political leaders, stakeholders, and the media to amplify conversations about gender bias in politics, stressing that many women aspire to join the political space but are discouraged by the hostile environment.

“There are so many women who admire what we do and want to join us. But sometimes it is almost impossible. If you don’t have the heart, the tenacity, and the strength of character, you simply cannot withstand it. That is the fact,” she added.

JKB/AE

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