Plan International signs partnership agreements with 15 local NGOs

International non-governmental organisation (NGO) Plan International Ghana has signed partnership agreements with 15 non-governmental organisations from 12 regions across the country.

The agreement is aimed at providing the NGOs with strategic financial and capacity support for the implementation of a project dubbed ‘Advancing Young Women’s Leadership, Economic Power, and Freedom from Violence Project’.

This is under the ‘Renewed Women’s Voice and Leadership Ghana Project (RWVL)’, which seeks to contribute to increasing participation of girls and women in decision-making in various communities.

The agreement, signed in Ho last Tuesday, comes soon after Plan International Ghana launched the Youth Accelerator for Change (YAC), a three-year initiative aimed at expanding young people’s participation in governance, advocacy and decision-making at local, national and global stages, in Accra.

Shedding light on the agreements, the acting Country Director of Plan International Ghana, Frederick Tei-Nobi, said the RWVL Ghana Project was a six-year initiative implemented by the Plan International Ghana and Plan International Canada and other NGOs, with support from Global Affairs Canada.

He said the partnerships reflected a strong commitment to advancing gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls in Ghana.

“The RWVL Project is designed to strengthen the capacity, sustainability and influence of women’s rights organisations, youth-led organisations and social movement.

“With an objective to contribute to increased employment and human rights by women and girls in all their diversities and to the greater enjoyment of human rights by women and girl’s rights, access to flexible funding and movement strengthening,” he added.

Mr Tei-Nobi said through the advancing of 138 grants to 120 women rights, youth-led and women human rights defenders over the six years, the RWVL Project had resolved to walk alongside Ghana’s women and girls in reclaiming their rights, as well as challenging harmful cultural and religious norms.

That also helped to upload those that created voice and agency for all, he added.

The partnered NGOs are Kekeli Foundation Ghana, Ho; Wan-Hive Ghana, Bono Region; Global Women Development Promoters, Accra; SWIDA GHANA, Northern Region and Yayra-Si Youth Foundation, Greater Accra Region.

Others are Techiman AGRICO HUB Ghana, Bono East Region; Centre for Community Development and Women Empowerment, Northern Region; Ark Development Organisation, Eastern Region; Youth Harvest Foundation, Upper East Region, and Song-Ba Empowerment Centre, Northern Region.

The rest are ABANTU for Development, Greater Accra Region; Noni Hub, Upper East Region; Erudite Women’s Empowerment, Ashanti Region; Resource Foundation, Western North Region, and CEREATH Development Organisation.