A new project aimed at promoting participation and inclusion of vulnerable youth and women in the country's governance structure has been launched in Bolgatanga. The two-year project, dubbed 'Heard Everywhere and Represented Daily (HEARD),' was launched by the Rural Initiatives for Self-Empowerment Ghana (RISE-Ghana), a non-governmental organisation with support from Norsaac, another NGO. The project, which is to be implemented in partnership with Songtaaba and other liked-minded NGOs, will focus on the Upper East, Upper West and Northern Regions. In the Upper East Region, the project will be rolled out in the Bolgatanga Municipality and Kessena-Nankana West District, with the objective of promoting participatory and inclusive governance to enhance sustainable development. Mrs Jaw-Haratu Amadu, Head of Programme Management, RISE-Ghana, who addresed the media after the launch, said the project was designed based on the neglect of the voices, participation, and representation of rural populations, particula rly youth and women. 'The project will, therefore, change the narrative of the conversation and advocate on women and youth inclusion in Ghana's governance beyond just elected or appointed members, to include women and youth representation as technocrats in key technical leadership in Ghana's governance structure,' she added. She said the project would promote active leadership of the youth in advocacy, campaigns, and solidarity actions to achieve the project's goal. Mr Francis Takyi-Koranteng, the Upper East Regional Director of the National Youth Authority (NYA), who launched the project, lauded the idea by the NGOs, and indicated that it was in the right direction to promote participation in decision-making by the vulnerable in society. He said despite the country's democracy, vulnerable youth, women, and persons with disabilities often found it difficult to have their voices heard, adding that the project would empower these groups to contribute to shaping public policies to their advantage. 'I want to urge all of you as participants and representatives of the various groups to own this project and make it a reality so that NGOs like RISE-Ghana and Norsaac would continue to come our way with beneficial projects like this one for our own good', he added. Mr Awal Ahmed Kariama, Executive Director of RISE-Ghana, said vulnerable youth groups, membership organisations, and women groups under the project would be trained to enhance their capacities . According to the Executive Director, this would enable them to undertake advocacy and solidarity actions as well as contribute effectively to governance processes of their districts and shape public policy to their own benefit and that of their communities. The 40 participants, drawn from the Bolgatanga Municipal and Kassena Nankana West District, would undergo a two-day capacity-building training on group strengthening , leadership, civil engagement and advocacy. Source: Ghana News Agency