Youth Empowerment Synergy (YES-Ghana), has launched the ‘My Voice My Vote’ project, an initiative that seeks to bring youth voices to the mainstream of Ghana’s 2020 elections agenda and debates.

The project will enhance youth participation by improving youth capacity to constructively engage with stakeholders in the political space towards inclusive development.

Starting October 1, young people can cast their votes via USSD code *800*25#, or online at www.yesghana.org/mvmv2020, or by completing a paper ballot at designated points. The survey asks young people about which development issues they consider most relevant to their lives and which should be prioritised by the next government.

By completing this survey online, offline or via USSD, youth participants will be joining a community of thousands of young people who are raising their voices on the critical issues that affect them and their communities.

The results of the ‘My Voice My Vote’ survey will form the basis of massive youth mobilisation and local advocacy campaigns across the country, including the hosting of Youth Encounters with Presidential Candidates.

Speaking at the launch of the project, Ewurafua Boafo, Project Manager at YES-Ghana said that “the project will help collate top policy issues from the youth for Presidential and Parliamentary aspirants, policy makers and political parties to address when the next government is formed”. She added that “the youth are leaders of today and tomorrow and as a country we need to pay special attention to them if we are to achieve sustainable development."

Overall, youth issues have been clustered under ten thematic areas, reflecting the provisions of the Ghana Youth Manifesto and the People’s National Youth Policy.

The thematic clusters are: Youth Employment, Good Health and Wellbeing, Good Governance, Gender Equality, Environment, ICT and Media, Education and Skills, Youth Participation, Conflict Prevention and Poverty Reduction.

Undoubtedly, Ghana needs to make further improvements in all these areas in order to tap the utmost contributions that young people can make to the nation’s development agenda.

YES-Ghana calls on all contestants in the 2020 elections and all development stakeholders work towards a more youth-inclusive and sustainable development for the Ghanaian youth.