Gov’t pledges action to empower girls, young women at She Leads Social Movement launch – Nsemkeka
Deputy Chief of Staff, Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, has declared that the government is moving beyond rhetoric to take decisive action to empower girls and young women.
Speaking at the official launch of the She Leads Social Movement held at the Monarch Hotel, East Legon, Nana Oye Bampoe Addo stressed that the administration of President John Dramani Mahama is committed to moving beyond dialogue to taking real, actionable steps that dismantle barriers facing girls and young women.
“We are committed not only to listening, but to acting,” she said.
In her address, Nana Oye Bampoe Addo outlined several government initiatives aimed at addressing systemic barriers to female participation in leadership and decision-making.
She cited the establishment of the Women’s Development Bank, supported with GH¢51.3 million in seed funding, designed to empower women entrepreneurs and traders.
The Deputy Chief of Staff also highlighted the One Million Coders Programme, emphasising its role in equipping girls and young women with in-demand digital skills.
“This initiative will open new pathways for girls and young women to participate meaningfully in the digital economy,” she said.
On issues of menstrual health, Nana Oye Bampoe Addo referenced the government’s GH¢292.4 million Free Sanitary Pad Initiative, designed to ensure that “every girl in primary and junior high school has access to free pads because dignity should never be a privilege.”
She also addressed gender-based violence, revealing plans to elevate the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVSU) to a Directorate and to establish 16 regional shelters to provide comprehensive support to survivors.
Despite women making up 50.7 per cent of the population, Nana Oye Bampoe Addo expressed concern about their underrepresentation in political leadership.
“Women hold only 14.9% of parliamentary seats as of 2024,” she noted, reaffirming the government’s commitment to achieving the 30% quota under the recently passed Affirmative Action Act.
“The She Leads Social Movement is a force for accountability and change. We are committed not only to listening, but to acting,” she added.
She urged girls and young women to boldly claim their place in leadership, challenge injustice, and hold leaders accountable even if they have to create their own space.
“Sit at the table of decision-making, with or without a chair. Take up space. Lead boldly. Challenge injustice. Hold your leaders, including me, accountable,” she emphasised.
Concluding her remarks with a hopeful message, Nana Oye Bampoe Addo said, “We now have a female Vice President. And I dare to dream that one day, we will have a female President in Ghana.”
The She Leads Social Movement marked the expansion of the She Leads Project into a broader network mobilising over a thousand girls and young women nationwide to advocate for gender equality, inclusive leadership, and the protection of girls’ rights.