Network Young Women Empowerment (NYWE), an advocacy group in the Upper West Region charged young women to task themselves up for leadership roles especially in the political arena in order for them to contribute their quota to nation building through politics.
In a day capacity building workshop organized by NYWE with funding support from Plan International Ghana on April 23, 2022, in Wa for some selected young women across the region, the ladies were taught the need for them to be politically conscious and urged to take up political positions within the political front.
Ms. Ida Nakaar, Chairperson of Network for Young Women Empowerment addressing the participants says, the Network aimed at developing the confidence and consciousness of young ladies to take up leadership roles both in politics and in society stressing that, women participation in these areas is very slow.
“So the purpose of this Network is to develop the confidence of these young girls and their political consciousness in taking up leadership positions. We are know that female participation in leadership and politics is a bit slow and for us to achieve those greater heights we all want as women or even achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 we all need active women to take up active positions or take up leadership positions hence the need for this network to build the confidence and also educate young girls, bring about their consciousness in taking up leadership roles” Ida noted.
She expressed gratitude to the Upper West Regional Chapter of Plan International Ghana for always throwing their weight behind Network for Young Women Empowerment.
The Chairperson also urged young ladies to work hard and break the shackles refraining them from accomplishing their leadership aspirations.
Meanwhile, Madam Gandah Bridget, Assistant Director at the Wa Municipal Assembly who doubles as Resource Person expressed worry over the small number of women actively participating in the local government level, urging her colleagues to build up their confidence and take up leadership mantles both in governance and politics.
She says women constitute greater percentage of Ghana’s population but they are the least when it comes to societal and political leadership representation hence, encouraged young ladies to embrace the “can do spirit” and step forward for leadership positions whenever the need arises.
Madam Bridget mentioned financial constraints, cultural barriers and societal description of women as being some of the challenges that relegate women when it comes to leadership.
She was quick to add that most women too feel so reluctant and lacks confidence in stepping forward for such portfolios hence her plea to young women to task themselves up and canvas for leadership positions.
“Some of the challenges with women who want to go into politics are of finances, most of them are willing to go but they don’t have the resources that will push them into taking up these. We have some cultural practices that are also hindering them from taking up these positions. There is also lack of confidence; most of them want to get to these places but they are not confident enough to take up these decisions” she stated.
The participants numbering about 50 drawn from the Wa East, Wa West, Sissala West districts as well as the Wa Municipality expressed joy for being fortunate to have been given this kind of education and training and assured NYWE and Plan International Ghana of their commitment to put to good use, the knowledge acquired during the capacity building workshop.
By: Saeed Fatawu|myradiowaa.com|92.1fm|
