A girls’ empowerment project aimed at increasing the sustained influence of Girls and Young Women on decision-making and the transformation of gender norms in formal and informal institutions, has been launched in the Bosome Freho District in the Ashanti Region.
The five-year project is an initiative of a consortium including Plan International Netherlands, Defence for Children International, African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET), and Terres des Hommes the Netherlands.
Six districts in the Ashanti Region including Bosomtwe, Bosome Freho, Asante-Akim North, Asokore Mampong, Obuasi, and Kumasi Metro are benefitting from the project.
The Rights and Responsibilities Initiatives Ghana (RRIG) is implementing the project in the Bosomtwe and Bosome Freho Districts on behalf of Defence for Children International Ghana.
It has therefore held a stakeholders’ meeting at Asiwa to discuss the implementation and the various roles expected of the participants.
The participants were drawn from the District assembly, Department of Social Welfare (DSW), National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Ghana Education Service (GES), women groups, and traditional leaders.
Giving the overview of the project, Madam Aba Oppong, the Executive Director of RRIG, said the project also sought to enhance girls and young women’s participation in gender-responsive civil society activities.
She said girls’ participation in decision-making at both political and governance levels was also expected to increase in the project implementation districts.
She underlined the need for duty bearers, parents, religious bodies, traditional leaders, and the media to play their respective roles effectively to empower girls and young women to take leadership positions at all levels.
The participants expressed appreciation for the project which they believed would go a long way to encourage young girls to climb the academic ladder to be able to take leadership positions.
