Dr David Wilfred Ochan, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Country Representative in Ghana, has called for the active involvement of young people, particularly women and girls, in decision-making processes to shape their futures and contribute meaningfully to national development.
He said young people must not be regarded merely as beneficiaries of development programmes but as partners and agents of change whose perspectives and experiences were critical to addressing societal challenges.
“Let us listen to young people and, most importantly, let us make room for them at the decision-making table,” Dr Ochan said.
He was speaking 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 on the theme: “Empowered to Influence, Equipped to Lead, Created to Impact.”
The conference brought together about 200 stakeholders from various sectors to discuss women’s leadership, empowerment, entrepreneurship, mentorship and social transformation.
Dr Ochan said investing in young people should not be viewed as charity but as an investment in the future of families, communities and the nation.
He said young people, when given the right opportunities, skills, confidence and platforms, could become catalysts for positive change in their families and communities.
He commended the Executive Director of PAYDP, Reverend Aku Xornam Adzraku-Kevi, for her longstanding commitment to empowering vulnerable young people, particularly girls.
He said her initiatives had supported vulnerable girls, including female head porters, popularly known as Kayayei, and adolescent mothers, through skills training, reproductive health education, HIV prevention, protection from sexual abuse and alternative livelihood opportunities.
According to him, some beneficiaries had moved from carrying loads in markets to acquiring skills in tailoring, painting and other trades, while others had established businesses and accessed markets beyond Ghana.
Dr Ochan cited the recent training of 25 young women in various trades as “25 new possibilities” for the beneficiaries to earn decent incomes, create jobs and inspire others.
He, however, stressed that skills training alone was insufficient, noting that beneficiaries also needed access to markets, financing, mentorship and sustainable economic opportunities.
He therefore called on the Government, civil society organisations, development partners, the private sector, traditional leaders and consumers to help create markets for products produced by young women.
He suggested that supermarkets and other large businesses could deliberately connect with young entrepreneurs to create demand for their products and enable them to expand production.
Dr Ochan disclosed that UNFPA, in partnership with PAYDP and other stakeholders, had supported the establishment of enterprise development centres in Kumasi and other strategic locations to provide vulnerable young women, including Kayayei, with practical skills and sustainable livelihood opportunities.
He said 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 to identify and address factors that pushed and pulled people into vulnerable forms of work.
The framework, he said, would support a coordinated national response and create opportunities for Government and development partners to support vulnerable populations.
Prophet Prince Manasseh Atsu, Founder and General Overseer of Watered Garden Church and Special Guest of Honour, said leadership should not be defined by positions, titles or prestigious offices but by the ability to positively influence others and take responsibility.
He said everyone possessed leadership potential and that effective leaders should be problem-solvers, results-oriented and visionary.
He identified faith, wisdom and love as essential qualities of effective leadership, explaining that faith provided courage and vision, wisdom enabled leaders to solve problems and exercise discernment, while love was indispensable to leadership.
Drawing on the biblical accounts of Joseph and Naaman’s maid, he urged participants not to allow difficult circumstances, social status or lack of formal authority to prevent them from exercising positive influence.
Ms Abigail Nti Tenewaah, Consultant at FORWARD UK, an African women-led rights organisation, also challenged participants to view leadership as a daily practice rather than a position or title.
In a presentation titled “We Are All Leaders,” she said people demonstrated leadership through their everyday choices, influence, responsibility and service to others.
She urged women and girls to see themselves as agents of change rather than mere beneficiaries of development interventions, noting that people who experienced social problems directly often possessed valuable insights into their solutions.
Ms Nti Tenewaah said effective leadership began with self-leadership, requiring individuals to understand their values, recognise their strengths and confront self-doubt.
She identified courage, self-awareness, listening, integrity, communication, influence and collaboration as qualities necessary for effective leadership.
She challenged participants to identify areas where their leadership was needed and make concrete commitments to create change within 30 days.
She said leadership could take different forms, including bringing people together, amplifying the voices of others, modelling positive behaviour and connecting people to opportunities and resources.
The conference was supported by UNFPA, FORWARD UK, International Needs, PrimeCert, Adehyeɛ Mma and other partners.
The event also honoured veteran media personality Madam Rosemary Ardayfio for her contribution to journalism, media excellence and mentorship.
