A resounding call for young women to take control of their futures and drive inclusive change was made during the grand regional forum for young women that took place in Tamale, where gender advocates, youth leaders, and civil society met to discuss women’s under-representation in decision-making.
In an opening address, Hajia Lamnatu Adam, Executive Director of Songtaba, lamented the continued inequality in political leadership, revealing that women hold a meagre 14% of parliamentary seats in Ghana.
She called it a “disturbing reminder of the structural nature of inequality, which we are actually making quite slow progress on.”
This is not just a figure; it is a sign of how much we’ve yet to achieve, Hajia Lamnatu said. Women’s voices still sit at the periphery of the tables where crucial decision-making takes place.
She went beyond this to highlight how young people, especially those in rural areas, were increasingly being excluded from critical governance processes irrespective of gender.
“These are huge deficits that lack the ability to enhance inclusive development at the national level,” she said.
Held as part of the “Heard Everywhere and Represented Daily” (HEARD) project to elevate the voices of rural and marginalised youth and women from Ghana’s Northern Region.
The initiative is funded by NORSAAC with support from Songtaba, the National Youth Authority, and other civil society groups.
The HEARD project seeks to enhance the capacity of marginalised groups to participate effectively in governance and in the formulation of policy through advocacy, training, and empowerment.
The keynote speaker, Hajia Rabbi Ibrahim, delivered a captivating expression of encouragement, influenced by the lyrics of “She Is” by Nigerian vocal singers Omawumi and Waje, a piece that hails the strength and prospects of the woman. She belted a section of the lyrics, reminding attendees of the power that is within them.
Development is not an occurrence that befalls us; it is something we design, we construct, and we lead, Hajia Rabbi declared. She urged the audience to join the national debate instead of remaining invisible.
She recognised not only the more visible obstacles that today’s young women confront but also barriers such as stubborn cultural stereotypes and policy decisions made without young women’s input.
You are not the future; you are here today, she emphasised.
Hajia Rabbi called for safe places to be established, for deliberate mentorship, and for enabling resources to be provided to young women.
What we get is policy moving when we have a voice. It is only when we are empowered that the development is genuinely inclusive, she said.
Her remarks concluded with a challenge to the young women in attendance: Speak courageously. Ask courageous questions. Create lasting networks.
The energy and determination visible at the forum indicated that the discussions that started behind these walls would resonate in all the communities in the region and sow the seeds of a Ghana that is more inclusive and fair.
Report By: Edem Addy Kennedy