Yiaga Africa, in partnership with WILAN Global and the Gender Centre for Empowering Development (GenCED) West Africa and with support from the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), has held a two-day Political Organising Lab in Ghana to build the capacity of young women aspiring to participate in political leadership.
The initiative, which is the second of its kind this year after similar sessions in Nigeria, is designed to empower young women who are members of political parties, aspiring candidates, and those involved in political campaigns with the skills to organise, mobilise, and win elections.
Speaking at the opening of the training, the Director of Programmes at Yiaga Africa, Cynthia Mbamalu, noted that the programme seeks to address the underrepresentation of women in Ghana’s political space.
“Ghana, a beacon of democracy in West Africa, is still struggling to ensure equitable representation. Currently, about four regions have no women in parliament, and the total number of female MPs remains under 50.
This is neither fair nor reflective of society’s diversity,” she said.
She added that the training aims not only to increase the number of women in politics but also to transform the nature of leadership in West Africa.
The Director of Programmes indicated that women bring responsive leadership qualities, including stronger engagement with citizens and policies that better reflect public needs.
“As long as we exclude half of our population from government, we will continue to face challenges in our democratic journey.
The way forward is to get more women—especially young women—at the decision-making table,” he added.
According to her, her outfit plans to provide post-training coaching and support to participants as they prepare for upcoming national and local elections.
The Ghana session has drawn 20 participants from different political parties, with some unaffiliated young women also taking part.
According to organizers, starting with smaller groups ensures more direct engagement and impact.
“Ghana deserves representative leadership, and the journey begins with empowering young women to step forward, contest, and lead,” she stressed.
Founder and Executive Director of WILAN, Abosede George-Ogan, emphasised the inclusive vision driving the initiative.
“There cannot be democracy without inclusion. And by inclusion, we mean men, women, persons with disabilities, and especially young people who make up over 60% of Africa’s population,” she said.
She explained that the Political Organising Lab provides opportunities for women to engage in the entire political value chain — not only as candidates, but also as organisers, campaign strategists, and party supporters.
“What we hope will happen over the next two days is that these women learn from one another, share their stories, and equip themselves with skills, resources, and tools that they didn’t have before.
This is also about building networks. Even though this is a non-partisan platform, the women must leave here believing that if one wins, we all win,” she added.
George-Ogan also revealed that the long-term vision is to replicate the programme across Africa, creating a continental network of young women leaders who can support each other’s political journeys.
One participant, Rahemah Quaye, a Ghanaian brand and communication strategist and CEO of Primers, a digital marketing firm, said the programme is a much-needed platform for aspiring women leaders.
“I’m looking forward to connecting with people who can inspire and empower me to stand out in politics.
I also want to learn how to navigate the space to ensure women are better represented and supported in political participation,” she said.
