The Community Aid for Rural Development (CARD-Ghana), in partnership with Plan International Ghana, has held a stakeholder engagement in Wa to review and assess the impact of the She Leads project since its rollout in 2021.
The meeting also provided a platform to discuss the project’s future direction to ensure the continued empowerment of girls and young women beyond its lifespan.
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The event brought together traditional leaders, Assembly members, representatives from the Ghana Education Service, the Department of Gender, and other key stakeholders.
Addressing the gathering, Mrs Joyce Obenewa Darko, She Leads Project Manager at Plan International Ghana, said the project had achieved significant success in empowering girls to take up leadership roles, especially in male-dominated spaces. She commended stakeholders for their continuous support and urged them to champion the cause even after the project ends.
Mrs Darko stressed the need to amplify the voices of marginalised groups and dismantle negative social norms that limit girls and young women in decision-making.
“You, our stakeholders, remain key partners to help create an inclusive society for children and young people by tackling the root causes of the challenges they face, especially girls and vulnerable children,” she said.
On her part, Ms Ernestina Biney, Acting Executive Director of CARD-Ghana, called on stakeholders to sustain their roles as champions of change.
“Our collective and deliberate efforts are key to changing negative norms and breaking barriers affecting girls and young women in our communities and institutions,” she noted.
Ms Biney encouraged participants to build a resilient and protective environment for girls and young women to thrive, stressing that this would contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Stakeholders at the engagement expressed appreciation to CARD-Ghana and Plan International Ghana for their efforts in addressing negative social norms and pledged to sustain the project’s gains.
Mr James Baba Anabiga, Speaker of the Upper West Regional Youth Parliament, observed that the She Leads project had boosted the confidence of girls and young women to take up roles in male-dominated spaces, including the Youth Parliament. He urged communities to create protective environments to consolidate these gains.
The She Leads project seeks to increase the sustained influence of girls and young women in decision-making processes and transform gender norms within both formal and informal institutions.
In the Wa Municipality, the project has been implemented in the Sagu, Chansa, Nyagli, Chegli, and Kperisi communities, as well as in Wa Islamic, Jamiat Girls, T.I. Ahmadiyya, Wa Senior High Technical, Wa Senior High Schools, and Wa Technical Institute.
