Source: Peace FM
The Ark foundation Ghana, an advocacy-based Women's Rights Non-governmental Organization whose primary purpose is to seek the promotion and protection of the rights of women and children has embarked on Young Urban Women's Project to create awareness on the need for young women in the Urban Communities to be economic independent.
The Young Urban Women's Project comes on the heels of the Tamale pornographic videos and pictures of young women being exploited by a young man with many believing it was as a result of the economic hardship in their communities.
The Ark Foundation in partnership with Action Aid Ghana and NORAD (Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation) took advantage of the International Youth Day to embark on a float to create awareness of Young Urban Women's Project which its implementation started six months ago in the Ga West Municipal Assembly; specifically Kpobiman and its neighboring communities to promote economic rights and empower young women in the urban areas.
Speaking with the Coordinator of The Young Urban Women's Project, Ms. Millicent Boatsi told Peacefmonline.com that the project goal is focused on promoting economic rights and empowerment of young women between the ages of 15 and 25 in urban areas to develop skills for small scale businesses which require little capital to start.
"The goal is to empower 1000 young urban women between the ages of 15 and 25, living in poverty to ensure greater dignity through more economic independence and control over their bodies and their voices will he heard and recognized in national and international forums within 2.5 years...so far we have 30 groups that we are grooming to develop skills in beading, weaving and sewing, we want them to be responsible for their actions and be economic independent," she emphasized.
Defining the dimensions of The Young Urban Women's Project, Ms. Boatsi hinted that the project employs three interventions such as;
Empowerment Programs; this is where young women are organized into to local groups, building their confidence level, awareness creation, consciousness and capacity building through training on how to respond to challenges they face as young women.
Campaigning Programs; this is where young women's needs and concerns are given attention through advocacy and influencing actions at the local, national and international levels to achieve a measureable social change.
Solidarity Programs; this is where young women are supported and strengthened for change within the family, communities, schools and religious institutions.
The Ark Foundation under the Young Urban Women's Project organized a float through Kpobiman, Sapeiman and Opa to mark the youth week celebration under the theme "Young Women Making Informed Choices".
The float saw about 300 of these young women marching along the streets holding up posters and placards amidst drumming and dancing.