The Women in Leadership and Youth Budget Advocacy Project was a peer-to-peer learning initiative designed to empower young people and community volunteers to actively participate in local budget processes. The project mobilized youth to demand accountability and transparency from duty-bearers while collectively advocating for programs that support children and youth development. Funded by Plan International Ghana and implemented by GRAY Network, the project was carried out in collaboration with community-based youth organizations, the District Assembly, Municipal Assemblies, Ghana Health Service, Ghana Education Service, and the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE). It reached 35 communities across South Tongu District, Afadzato South, and Hohoe Municipality in the Volta Region.
Media Engagement
- Hosted interactive radio talk shows on decentralization, budget advocacy, and civic participation.
- Reached 6,000+ listeners through live sessions with Q&A opportunities.
Peer-to-Peer Training
- Trained youth, including girls and young women, on:
- Local governance systems and the mandate of MMDAs.
- Budget processes and advocacy tools.
- Social accountability tools such as Community Score Cards, Social Audits, and Citizen Reports.
- Capacity-building workshops (face-to-face) reached 1,025 participants (565 female, 460 male) across 35 communities.
- Practical skills delivered included leadership, influence, public speaking, lobbying, advocacy, campaign management, manifesto development, and policy engagement.
- Participants also gained digital advocacy skills, design thinking, and use of social media for activism.
Duty-Bearer Engagements
- Facilitated community dialogues between youth and district leaders including DCEs, assembly members, health and education directors, budget/planning officers, and NCCE representatives.
Girls & Women:
- 8 adolescent girls
- 231 young women
- 141 adult women
Boys & Men:
- 37 adolescent boys
- 166 young men
- 91 adult men
Stakeholders Engaged: 5
Radio Audience: 6,000+
Totals
- Direct participants: 674
- Indirect participants (radio audience): 6,000+
- Overall reach: 6,674+
- 1,025 youth and women trained in 35 communities, enhancing their knowledge of governance, budget processes, and accountability.
- 823 participants reported gaining mobilization skills to champion community development.
- 678 participants demonstrated improved understanding of budget planning, advocacy, and social accountability.
- 541 participants reported increased confidence to demand services and accountability from duty-bearers.
- 801 participants indicated the training motivated them to participate in the upcoming district assembly elections.
“I now understand that for development to happen, it must go through the unit committee and assembly budget. My community will only grow if we engage in the process.” – Alberta, Hohoe
“This training gave me lobbying and advocacy skills to push for development projects. I now know the importance of being part of the district assembly budget process.” – Praise, Afadjato South
“Before, I thought only MPs were responsible for development. Now I know citizens must also follow up during the budget process.” – Vivian, South Tongu
“I never considered leadership, but learning public speaking, communication, and campaign skills inspired me to contest as a unit committee member.” – Enam, Afadjato South
“Even as a unit committee member, I didn’t know my full role. Now I understand my responsibilities to drive community development.” – Innocent, Hohoe
“This training gave me confidence and capacity to aspire for leadership in the upcoming local elections.” – Rosemary, Afadjato South