According to Dr Binka, pri­otising and investing in young girls would not only unlock their potential but would also create a more equitable and prosperous society for all.

Dr Binka said this in a mento­ring session held in Accra at the Faith Community Baptist School on Friday.

The event, which was in commemoration of Internation­al Women’s Day, was organised in collaboration with Women Media and Change (WOMEC), African Women Leaders Network (AWLN), United Nations (UN) Women was aimed to empower young girls and educate them on the importance of gender equality.

Held on the theme “For all women and girls: Right. Equal­ity. Empowerment” the event brought together experts and role models to inspire and motivate the young girls of the school.

Dr Binka, who doubles as the Executive Director, emphasised the need to prioritise the needs of young girls and invest in them to obtain a brighter future.

Dr Binka expressed concern over the current state of women’s representation in politics and leadership in Ghana.

The situation, she said, under­scored the need to target young girls and provide them with the skills, confidence, and support to make a difference.

“Looking at the statistics, the way women have performed in terms of leadership and politics, we haven’t done well and if we want to see a brighter future for women, we need to pay attention to our young ones,” she said.

The Acting Executive Director of International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA-Ghana), Ms Susan Aryeetey, highlighted the alarming rates of teenage pregnancies and child marriage in the country.

This, she said was imperative to educate young girls on healthy relationships, goal-setting, and self-empowerment to build a brighter future for all its citizens.

For her part, a Senior Gender Specialist, UN Women, Dr Afua Ansre, emphasised the need to involve young people in deci­sion-making process on gender equality to ascertain their inputs.

She also encouraged the young girls to be agents of change, say­ing, “The change starts with you.”

Dr Ansre commended the organisers for the gesture saying that such even should serve as a reminder of the importance of empowering young girls to be­come leaders and change-makers in the country.

The headmaster of the Faith Community Baptist School, Tog­be Gala Fiakpoe, said the event served as an ‘eye opener’ to the pupils, and therefore encouraged them to actively participate in it and learn more from the resource persons, calling for more of such programmes in the near future.