She Leads project boosts girls’ leadership
8 March 2022The She Leads project will increase girls’ leadership and provide equal opportunities in Ghana.
Participants at the media launch of She Leads.
Plan International is worried about the lack of better job opportunities and leadership positions for women despite efforts to improve the situation over several years in Ghana.
Mr. Solomon Tesfamariam, Country Director of Plan International Ghana, expressed the concern and said better education and economic growth had still not translated into better jobs for women and girls.
Speaking at the media launch of the She Leads Project in Accra, Mr. Tesfamariam said women’s participation in the labour market had stagnated and even declined in the last few years.
Transform stereotypes
She Leads is a 5-year project funded by the Dutch government that increases girls’ and young women’s decision-making and transforms gender norms in formal and informal institutions. We are working towards the normalisation of girls and young women in leadership positions and decision-making spaces at all levels.
If we strengthen women’s capabilities and access to resources, the prospect of leadership will be within the reach of many more women.
The project is being implemented by a consortium made up of Plan International Ghana, Defence for Children International, Africa Women’s Development and Communication Network, and Terre des Hommes the Netherlands.
For the past year, some selected districts in Greater Accra, Ashanti, Upper East, Upper West, Northern and Central Regions have benefitted from the project through local civil society organisations.
The media launch, which coincided with International Women’s Day, created awareness of the project, and highlighted the success stories so far.
Boost for female entrepreneurs
Mr. Tesfamariam said She Leads will promote an enabling policy environment that increases numbers of female entrepreneurs and access to digital technology among girls and young women.
The project will also promote entrepreneurship as a catalyst for advancing women’s economic empowerment. Tesfamariam said, “If we strengthen women’s capabilities and access to resources, the prospect of leadership will be within the reach of many more women in Ghana.”
He said recognising the contributions of women and girls around the world for leading the charge on climate change adaptation, mitigation and responses to build a more sustainable future for all, was strongly connected to the campaign.
Mr. Theophilous Ayugani, Policy Officer, Gender and Governance at the Dutch Embassy, said “The Embassy believes that the inclusion of young women and girls is a pre-requisite for sustainable development. The Netherlands Government places gender as a key priority in its development interventions in Ghana.”
The Embassy, he said, was happy about the progress made so far after 1 year of implementation of the project and urged the consortium and its partners to do more to create a level playing for girls and young women to strive.
Categories: Campaigns, Youth empowerment
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