The Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the National Youth Authority (NYA), Ms Vera Allotey, has emphasised the urgent need to invest in the youth and equip them with the knowledge and skills to become advocates on gender-based violence (GBV), reproductive health rights (RHR), and civic engagement.
Speaking at a one-day training workshop yesterday in Koforidua and funded by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Ms Allotey said the rising cases of GBV, widespread misinformation around reproductive health, and the declining interest of young people in governance should be treated as national concerns, not just statistics.
“There is a need to train our youth to understand these critical issues,” she stated, adding “They must be able to identify GBV, speak up against it, educate others on reproductive health rights, and actively engage in national and local governance. Their voices matter.”
The training brought together members of youth parliaments in Koforidua with the goal of empowering them to become informed advocates capable of addressing social challenges.
Ms Allotey stressed that such engagement was essential for shaping a future generation of leaders who were bold, informed, and committed to positive change.
“If these issues are becoming more alarming, then we must rise to the occasion by preparing our young people to confront them,” she said.
“By building their capacity and giving them a platform to speak, we are nurturing future leaders and problem-solvers who will move this country forward,” she added.
She further noted that empowering youth would not only help address these challenges but also contribute to national development by producing a generation of thoughtful and effective leaders.
The Eastern Regional Director of the National Youth Authority, Ms Evelyn Enyonam Lotsu, emphasized that the training aligned with the National Youth Policy and several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
She highlighted SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) as key pillars of the initiative.
“What we are doing here today goes beyond the goals,” Ms Lotsu explained. “We are investing in human capital, developing young minds to become agents of change and champions of inclusive governance.”
She described the training as a strategic effort to ensure young people had the knowledge and tools they needed to tackle GBV, promote reproductive health rights, and engage meaningfully in governance.
Ms Lotsu also encouraged participants to be proactive in their communities, ask difficult questions, and demand answers from leaders.
“By doing so, you become part of the solution and drive the kind of change that is urgently needed in your communities,” she said.
Ms Lotsu expressed gratitude to UNFPA for its continued partnership and unwavering support in empowering the youth and promoting gender equality, noting that their efforts were making a real difference across the country.
FROM AMA TEKYIWAA AMPADU AGYEMAN, KOFORIDUA
