By Ernest Nutsugah
Accra, Aug. 18, GNA – Young African women have been challenged to refuse to be defined by gender stereotypes, maintain high standards and boldly claim their place in leadership and decision-making spaces.
Dr Obaapanin Oforiwaa Adu, Director of General Administration, University of Media Arts and Communication (UniMAC), who made the call, said women must not only enter spaces where they had historically been underrepresented but also ensure that their voices were heard when they got there.
She was speaking at the 2026 CAMFED Association (CAMA) Summit in Accra, which brought together young women from CAMFED consortium countries to reflect on their lived experiences, celebrate achievements and deliberate on how to shape a more inclusive future.
“Don’t compromise on standards as you move forward because it is a very competitive world that we find ourselves in. You either do hard work or you don’t earn it at all,” Dr Adu said.
She urged young women to be courageous in pursuing opportunities, particularly, in areas traditionally dominated by men.
She advised them not to wait for invitations before taking their rightful place in decision-making spaces.
“Don’t wait to be invited before you sit at the table…grab your seat in the boardroom, in the decision-making room, at the executive management level…don’t just occupy that seat, but make sure that your voice is also heard,” she emphasised.
She also urged women already in leadership positions to create pathways for younger women to rise.
The summit, held under the theme, “Rooted in Lived Experience: Shaping the Future,” brought together CAMA members from Ghana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Tanzania and Kenya.
It focused on policy, systems change, partnerships and inclusive education for girls and persons with disability.
Dr Adu said the empowerment of young women was critical to Africa’s future and called for deliberate efforts to equip them with the skills, opportunities and confidence needed to pursue their dreams.
“Let us create pathways for every woman. Let us give her the tools that she would need to chase and act on the dream. And most importantly, let us trust her with the responsibility of shaping the future,” she said.
“The Africa we will inhabit in the next decade will be determined in no small measure by what we do today to empower its young women,” she added.
The UniMAC Director also encouraged participants to sharpen their digital skills, build strong professional networks and use technology to promote African narratives.
She urged them to draw inspiration from African women breaking new ground in male-dominated sectors and to use the knowledge and opportunities available to them to create positive change in their communities.
Madam Fairuza Abdul-Rashid Safian, Executive Director, CAMFED Ghana, said the summit was designed to unlock opportunities for CAMA members while providing a platform to address challenges confronting young people, including unemployment, access to education, skills development, health and well-being.
The summit also provided a platform for participants to examine challenges, share achievements, renew commitments and deliberate on the future direction of the Association.
She said CAMFED remained committed to strengthening the CAMA network as a support system for young women and a platform for activism and leadership.
Dr Esther Okwah Akumaning, Board Chair, CAMFED Ghana, urged participants to share ideas, build partnerships and take deliberate steps to create the future they desired.
Ramatu Abubakari, CAMA Ghana National Chairperson, expressed appreciation to CAMFED for the opportunities it had provided to young women over the years.
She said CAMA would continue to use its platform to support and positively impact other young women.
The Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED) Ghana was launched in 1998 to tackle girls’ exclusion from education and has expanded its operations to 46 districts.
Its work supports vulnerable girls to complete secondary education and transition into further education, training or employment.
The CAMFED Association, made up of young women educated with CAMFED support, has become a major peer-support and leadership network.
By the beginning of 2026, its Ghana membership had grown to more than 84,800, with members supporting girls’ education, mentoring younger women and contributing to community development.
GNA
Edited by Beatric Asamani Savage
Reporter: Ernest Nutsugah
[email protected]
