Under the Strengthening Inclusive Governance in Ghana through Youth and Women Leadership Development and Advocacy Campaigns project, Gray Network convened three district-level Stakeholder Engagement and Policy Dialogue Forums in Ho, Hohoe, and South Tongu District in the Volta Region.
The fora brought together participants, including District Assembly officials, municipal authorities, traditional leaders, chiefs, queen mothers, opinion leaders, youth leaders, young women, and youth with disabilities.
These dialogues created structured platforms for direct engagement between young people and decision-makers to advance inclusive governance. The engagement was informed by extensive community consultations across the Volta Region, where thousands of young people shared their governance challenges and aspirations. Key concerns raised included limited youth representation in decision-making spaces, weak consultation mechanisms within district planning systems, barriers affecting young women’s leadership participation, and persistent accessibility gaps for youth with disabilities.
In response, a comprehensive policy framework was presented to institutionalize youth inclusion within district governance systems. Recommendations included establishing youth advisory desks within District Assemblies, allocating youth representation in town hall meetings and budget hearings, integrating youth inputs into Medium-Term Development Plans, and institutionalizing biannual youth–government dialogue platforms. The forums also emphasized formal collaboration with youth civic platforms through logistical support and partnerships in accountability and social monitoring initiatives.
Gender-responsive and disability-inclusive governance emerged as central priorities. Authorities were urged to address structural barriers affecting young women, promote their leadership participation, enforce anti-discrimination practices, and ensure accessible civic spaces and materials for youth with disabilities.
Beyond the district-level forums, Gray Network conducted targeted engagements within traditional governance systems through two Traditional Council meetings, reaching 65 participants composed of chiefs, queen mothers, opinion leaders, and elders. Of these participants, 11 were women and 50 were men. These engagements created space for dialogue on strengthening youth inclusion within customary leadership structures. Traditional authorities acknowledged existing gaps in youth participation and committed to improving inclusion in decision-making processes. They further pledged to establish structured mentorship and grooming pathways to equip young people with knowledge of customs and traditions, thereby enhancing meaningful participation at the traditional council level.
Importantly, government stakeholders present at the forums also pledged to take the recommendations into consideration within their respective mandates. District and municipal representatives expressed openness to reviewing participation mechanisms and strengthening structured youth engagement processes.
The immediate outcomes of the forums include strengthened multi-level policy dialogue, increased stakeholder inclusivity, enhanced trust between youth and authorities, and formal commitments from both government institutions and traditional leaders. With continued support, the initiative is expected to institutionalise youth participation mechanisms, strengthen gender-responsive and disability-inclusive governance practices, and generate sustainable impact across project communities in the three districts of the Volta Region.
Overall, the dialogues represent a strategic step toward embedding structured, intergenerational, and inclusive governance systems that recognise young people as partners in development rather than passive beneficiaries.
This project was carried out by the Gender and Reproductive Health Advocacy Youth Network and funded by the Canada High Commission to Ghana, Togo, and Sierra Leone under the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives.
By: Daniel Orlando/newsalertgh.com
