ExLA Group Hosts Women Congress In Accra

The maiden edition of the Young African Women Congress (YAWC) 2016 has taken place in Accra in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. The congress sought to empower young women in Africa to play participatory roles in the development of Africa. Lasting a 5-day span, from Sunday 18^th to Thursday 22^nd December, 2016, the congress which was organised by ExLA Group under the auspices of its Gender desk featured over 20 accomplished women leaders of diverse backgrounds across the globe who took participants through various sessions including panel discussions, group discussions and career fair among others. There were also keynote presentations and personal perspectives on specific issues of women development shared by various special guest speakers to ensure a complete discourse which encompassed important discussions of the women empowerment agenda.

The congress was officially opened with a grand ceremony at the University of Ghana in Accra on Monday 19^th December, 2016. The event was duly attended by a number of dignitaries from Ghana and Africa including Ms. Mahawa Kaba Wheeler (Director, Women, Gender and Development Directorate (WGDD) of African Union Commission (AUC)); Ms. Comfort Lamptey, Regional Advisor on Governance, Peace and Security for West and Central Africa Regional Office (WCARO) – UN Women; Ambassador Erieka Bennett, Head of Missions, The African Union Diaspora African Forum; Mrs. Christine Evans-Klock, the UN Resident Coordinator & UNDP Resident Representative for Ghana; H.E. Claudia Turbay Quintero, Colombian Ambassador to Ghana, H.E. Irene Vida Gala, Brazilian Ambassador to Ghana; Prof. Akosua Adomako Ampofo, Professor of Gender and African Studies, among others. The ceremony was marked by a number of activities including an inspiring keynote address delivered by Ms. Mahawa Kaba Wheeler on the theme for the congress, “The Modern Woman Leader, Revising the Status quo”.

Delivering her speech at the peak of the ceremony, Ms Kaba Wheeler acknowledged the persevering effort of ExLA Group in making YAWC 2016 a reality. She reiterated AU’s commitment to empowering women and girls at all levels revealing further the union’s plans for women’s development on the continent in 2017 and beyond.

Ms. Kaba Wheeler entreated all participants and guests to relay what they learn from the congress to other women who did not have the opportunity to acquire the knowledge they would be previewed to. She went on to debunk the assertion of the “wonder/perfect woman concept”, insisting that it was a drawback to the women empowerment agenda. She therefore encouraged all present to use their leadership positions as a ladder on which other women could climb to the top.

Ms. Kaba Wheeler ended her speech by applauding the YAWC initiative which embraces a mentorship programme to groom participants over specified periods of time. She also accentuated her endorsement for YAWC 2016 and pledged her support whenever the group needed it.

In an opening remark, the Executive Director of ExLA Group, Mr. Daniel Osei Tuffuor expressed his gratitude to all guests and individuals who helped to institute the congress. He underscored the commitment of ExLA Group through YAWC to consciously nurture young women through a well-established network and mentorship programmes to ensure that African women are fully involved in the development of their continent as leaders. He also gave a hint about the post-YAWC projects that will be embarked on after the congress, adding that they would be based on resolutions that would be proffered from the 5-day residential congress.

Prof. Akosua Adomako Ampofo, Board Chair of ExLA Group and Lead Promoter for YAWC 2016 on the same pedestal gave a brief background to the Young African Women Congress while admonishing the efforts of all promoters and members of EGGP for ensuring that YAWC 2016 became a reality.

This was followed by short remarks by the UN Resident Coordinator & UNDP Resident Representative, Mrs. Christine Evans-Klock. She touched on critical issues of women development on the continent with particular references to efforts of the UN and UNDP in the women empowerment agenda. She stressed the need for women to get involved in formal leadership and governance and help formulate and implement policies which will secure their fellow women equal opportunities in the development agenda of Africa.

Members of the diplomatic corps present; H.E. Claudia Turbay Quintero, Colombian Ambassador to Ghana and H.E. Irene Vida Gala, Brazilian Ambassador to Ghana both delivered solidarity messages in support of the YAWC initiative. They also expressed their support and commitment to ensuring that the annual congress achieved its objectives.

The afternoon session of the second day of the congress also treated participants to inspiring notes on the struggle and freedom of women in Colombia. This was delivered in the form of a personal perspective by the Colombian Ambassador to Ghana. Her session was immediately followed by the Head of Missions at the Diaspora African Forum (DAF), Ambassador Erieka Bennet. She gave a brief background on her work at DAF and took participants through a discussion on “Prosperity”. Ambassador Erieka Bennett admonished young women to hold on to specific principles such as versatility, prudence, honesty and forward-looking attitude in their quest to be leaders.

Mrs. Angela Dwamena-Aboagye, Executive Director of ARK Foundation led discussions later in the afternoon on “Violence against Women and Girls” before participants left for their various groups to discuss specific areas of concern for women development. There were four groups with each group particularly assigned to one of the following: Violence against Women/Girls, Women & Leadership, Women & Economic Empowerment and Early Child Marriages & Teenage Pregnancy. These groups were guided in discussion by Prof. Akosua Adomako Ampofo, Mrs. Angela Dwamena-Aboagye, Mrs. Lydia Bediako Asare of Ecobank Ghana Ltd and Akosua Ago Aboagye of Peace FM.

The Evening Session was thrilled with an interesting discussion on “Women and Reproductive Health Issues”. Members on the panel included Dr. Akosua Darkwa, a Senior Lecturer at the University of Ghana, Legon; Mrs. Charity Kuwornu, a tutor of Obstetrics/Gynaecology and Prof. Akosua Adomako Ampofo. The discussion was moderated by Ama Aboagye from USAID.

Participants were then dispersed to their groups for further discussions on their specified topics to end the day.

Subtly referred to as the UN day of YAWC, the 3rd day welcomed a major address by Ms. Comfort Lamptey, Regional Advisor on Governance, Peace and Security for West and Central Africa Regional Office (WCARO) – UN Women on the topic; “Assessing Women in Development; Post Beijing Conference In-Retrospect”.

Touching on the topic, Ms. Lamptey referred to the Beijing Conference as the watershed for the women empowerment agenda in the world. According to her, the conference brought together women leaders across all quarters of the globe and developed a roadmap with timelines to ensure the empowerment of women and girls all over the world. She touted the achievements of UN Women over the years stemming from the Beijing Conference but expressed concern over a number of challenges facing women that still needed critical attention including perpetual male dominance in our political structures and persistence of patriarchal systems in our society.

She also added that funding for women related programmes has always been a challenge and recommended that ExLA Group should form alliances with other Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to foster the women empowerment agenda.

While commending the YAWC initiative, Ms. Lamptey underscored the UN Women’s commitment in partnering organisations like ExLA Group to create a unified force that will help achieve SDG Goal 5 by 2030.

Other speakers for the morning were Dr. Bettina Ama Boohene-Andah, Medical Director of Brainwave Consult and Ms. Esther Armah, a broadcast journalist formerly of BBC and CNN. They both motivated the young women on different topics of personal perspectives.

Prior to that, Madam Jane Cole, a retired international civil servant and sister to the Late Prof. Ewurama Addy, ushered participants through the important elements required of an individual to be an international civil servant.

The day ended with a night for participants filled with culture, creativity and entertainment.

A fun trip to Cape Coast in the Central Region of Ghana was set to be one of the most memorable days of the congress. Starting off with a tour at Elmina Castle, participants were guided through the monumental edifice which housed slaves before they were shipped to Europe and subsequently America. Before the slave-trade story could stifle their excitement, participants were whisked away to the Kakum National Park also in Cape Coast where they went hiking in the forest and took a never-looking back journey on the canopy walkway. That was what marked the whole of the fourth day of the congress.

Call it a day of accountability, but the final day of the Young African Women Congress (YAWC) 2016 revealed the passion of the young participants in imparting their societies having added to their knowledge. It was marked by presentations by leaders and secretaries of the various groups set up for the purposes of the Young African Women Congress (YAWC) 2016. The groups identified specific problems, challenges and hindrances of women/girls development and advanced roadmaps for achieving some practicable targets.

These reports were presented to the Regional Advisor on Governance, Peace and Security for West and Central Africa Regional Office (WCARO) – UN Women, Ms. Comfort Lamptey who in turn expressed her gratitude and commitment to ensuring the support of her office to the various recommendations made in the reports.

The 2016 edition of the Young African Women Congress (YAWC) was a memorable experience for the women empowerment agenda.