The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has called for greater inclusion of young people, particularly women and girls, in decision-making processes, stressing that their voices are critical to Ghana’s development.
The UNFPA Country Representative in Ghana, Dr David Wilfred Ochan, said young people must be recognised not merely as beneficiaries of development programmes but as partners and agents of change capable of influencing policies and shaping solutions to challenges affecting society.
“Let us listen to young people and, most importantly, let us make room for them at the decision-making table,” he said.
Dr Ochan made the call at the maiden Image of a Woman Conference 2026 in Accra, organised by the Purim African Youth Development Platform (PAYDP) and Glorious Abundant Ministries International.
The conference, held on the theme “Empowered to Influence, Equipped to Lead, Created to Impact,” brought together about 200 stakeholders to deliberate on women’s leadership, entrepreneurship, mentorship, empowerment and social transformation.
According to Dr Ochan, investing in young people should be viewed as a strategic investment in the future rather than charity.
He said when young people were provided with the right skills, opportunities, confidence and platforms, they could become powerful catalysts for transformation in their families and communities.
Beyond skills training
Dr Ochan also stressed the need to move beyond skills training by creating viable economic opportunities for young women to translate their skills into sustainable livelihoods.
He said access to markets, finance, mentorship and business opportunities was essential if skills training programmes were to produce lasting results.
He therefore urged government, development partners, civil society organisations, the private sector, traditional authorities and consumers to deliberately create markets for products made by young women.
He suggested that supermarkets and other large businesses could establish partnerships with young entrepreneurs to create demand for their products and enable them to expand their businesses.
The UNFPA representative cited the recent training of 25 young women in various trades as an example of how targeted interventions could create new economic opportunities.
He described the beneficiaries as “25 new possibilities”, saying each trained woman had the potential to earn a decent income, create jobs and inspire others.
Dr Ochan also commended the Executive Director of PAYDP, Reverend Aku Xornam Adzraku-Kevi, for her efforts to empower vulnerable young women, including female head porters and adolescent mothers.
He said some beneficiaries had moved from carrying loads in markets to acquiring skills in areas such as tailoring and painting, while others had gone on to establish businesses and access markets outside Ghana.
Support for vulnerable women
Dr Ochan disclosed that the UNFPA, in partnership with PAYDP and other stakeholders, had supported the establishment of enterprise development centres in Kumasi and other locations to provide vulnerable young women with practical skills and sustainable livelihood opportunities.
He added that the UNFPA was also collaborating with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection and the Office of the Vice President to develop a national vulnerability framework.
The framework, he explained, would help identify the factors pushing and pulling people into vulnerable forms of work and facilitate a coordinated national response.
Leadership goes beyond titles
Meanwhile, Prophet Prince Manasseh Atsu, Founder and General Overseer of Watered Garden Church, urged women to understand that leadership was not defined by positions, titles or prestigious offices.
He said leadership was demonstrated through positive influence, responsibility and the ability to solve problems.
Prophet Atsu identified faith, wisdom and love as essential qualities of effective leadership, explaining that faith provides courage and vision, wisdom enables sound judgment, while love strengthens a leader’s relationship with others.
He urged participants not to allow difficult circumstances, social status or lack of formal authority to prevent them from making a positive impact.
Consultant at FORWARD UK, Ms Abigail Nti Tenewaah, also challenged women and girls to see leadership as a daily responsibility rather than a position.
She said people could demonstrate leadership through their everyday choices, service, influence and willingness to take responsibility.
Ms Nti Tenewaah identified courage, self-awareness, integrity, communication, collaboration and listening as key qualities needed for effective leadership.
She encouraged participants to identify areas where their leadership was needed and make concrete commitments to create change within 30 days.
The conference was supported by UNFPA, FORWARD UK, International Needs, PrimeCert and Adehyeɛ Mma, among others.
Veteran media personality Madam Rosemary Ardayfio was also honoured for her contribution to journalism, media excellence and mentorship.
