Executive Director of Gender Centre for empowering development (GenCED), Esther Tawiah, has appealed to young women to develop a tough skin, defy the odds and engage in active politics.

She was speaking at the West African Young Women in Politics forum at the Erata Hotel in Accra.

The forum sort to bring together women from most West African Countries and encourage them defy the norm without fear and fight for equal rights in the political domain.

It is alarming that out of the 37 women in Ghana’s parliament, only three are young women, representing 8.5%.

Countries like Mali, Liberia, Nigeria have no young woman in Parliament hence making it difficult for their grievances and ideas to be heard or implemented.

Most young women keep out of politics for fear of being insulted, stereotyped or discriminated against based on the age, cultural barriers, or being viewed as not strong emotionally to withstand the pressure that the older politicians can deal with.

It is on this note that GenCED has brought women from the various West African Countries to empower them in dealing with the structural and cultural barriers that hinder young women’s participation in the West Africa sub-regions.

The Executive Director of GenCED believes that the forum will help young women take on the challenge to gain platforms and a voice in decision-making processes and also inspire them to be actively involved in the democratic sphere.

“It’s just again to reinforce to the young women that yes you can do it, you have the power, you have the capacity, you can do it, nothing should limit you, breaking barrier should be part of your life. As a woman don’t limit yourself to one particular problem, you can break whatever becomes a barrier,” she stressed.