NGO promotes women’s participation in governance

Bang-Gu-Manga Integrated Rural Development Society (BIRDS), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), is collaborating with British High Commission to undertake programmes to promote women’s participation and representation at the local government level.

Ms Fatimata Tuteiya Alhassan, Officer of BIRDS, a Yendi-based NGO, announced this at a durbar organised by the organisation at Zohe South Electoral Area at Yendi.

Ms Alhassan said as part of the collaboration, community durbars are expected to support 120 women to contest the forthcoming nationwide local government elections in the Yendi Municipality.

She said the community durbars would be used to sensitise the community leaders to appreciate the role women could play in leadership positions as well at the grass root level.

The leaders are also suppose to build the capacity of prospective female candidates to boost their confidence levels to be able to carry out house-to-house campaigns and mount campaign platforms to convince the electorate to vote for them.

Ms Alhassan urged women to undertake community activities including playing active roles in unit committees, district assembly, parent teacher associations and other local development initiatives to boost their chances of being elected.

Alhaji Abdullah Issah, an Islamic Religious Leader urged women to play active roles in the development of their communities.