By Ernest Nutsugah
Accra, Feb. 6, GNA – Stakeholders and policymakers have been urged to create more opportunities for adolescents to nurture their potential and contribute meaningfully to national development.
Participants at a forum organised for young people in Accra on Friday said the voices and opinions of adolescents, described as “future change-makers,” must be included in decision-making processes and in matters that affect their lives.
The forum, dubbed: “The Urban Youth Dialogue,” brought together adults and adolescents from Ghana, Senegal, Ecuador, Colombia, India and Vietnam to discuss ways of making cities healthier and more inclusive for young people.
It was organised by Healthy Cities for Adolescents (HCA), a global initiative funded by Fondation Botnar, a philanthropic organisation dedicated to the well-being of young people.
The dialogue marked the end of the organisation’s Global Learning Forum 2026, a week-long international learning programme hosted in Ghana as part of the HCA initiative.
Ms Sarah Macmillan, Team Lead for the HCA programme, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview that the initiative operated in six countries and had been active since May 2022, with activities expected to end in December 2026.
She said 10 projects focusing on adolescent health and well-being had been funded, noting that a key objective was to involve adolescents in driving positive change in their cities.
Ms Macmillan explained that the Accra meeting brought together project implementers from all six countries to share experiences and engage with key stakeholders.
She described a healthy city as one that promotes adolescent well-being across multiple dimensions, including physical and mental health, digital health, skills development and access to safe spaces.
“Another key aspect of our mission is not only that adolescents thrive in cities, but that they also contribute to shaping cities that meet their needs today and in the future,” she said.
As the project neared completion, Ms Macmillan urged partners and stakeholders to sustain the initiatives and modules developed over the period.
She cited the Adolescent Parliament initiative in Sunyani as a model that could be replicated and scaled up in other cities.
The Team Lead emphasised the need for strong partnerships with government agencies, civil society and the private sector to create healthy cities for young people.
“It is not just about government and civil society. The private sector must also ask: what is our role in creating cities that are healthy for the next generation, who will soon become our future leaders?” she asked.
The discussions were moderated and led by adolescents, who shared diverse perspectives on key thematic areas affecting their lives.
Panellists urged governments to continue investing in adolescents, while encouraging young people to take advantage of existing opportunities.
Participants also took part in interactive sessions and group activities, including developing visual ideas for adolescent-friendly cities.
The organisers said insights from the sessions would feed into learning and policy discussions under the HCA programme.
Mr Joshua Tetteh Ayayi, a Project Coordinator, highlighted the success of the Young and Safe initiative in the Volta Regional capital, Ho, saying about 1,800 young people had benefited from the trainings, boot camps and related programmes.
He commended the initiative and called on partners to pay greater attention to the needs of young people.
“We want meaningful participation for young people. That means their voices are included, there is actual budget allocation and disbursement, and there is follow-up to ensure impact is achieved,” he said.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe