PRESS RELEASE|| ExLA GROUP GENDER PROGRAMME
08/03/2019|| ACCRA, GHANA
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY: YOUNG WOMEN MUST LEAD – ExLA GROUP GENDER
PROGRAMME 

Today marks International Women’s Day under the theme, “Think Equal, Build Smart,
Innovate for Change” and ExLA Group Gender Programme joins hands with the rest of
the world to say #BalanceforBetter. As we celebrate, we also give credence to the role of
young women in delivering change to Africa and the world as a whole.
It is not mere to say that Africa has a youthful population. It is a mark of great potential
that needs to be developed. An even greater dividend in the population is the teeming
young women who are \. 

It is worth acknowledging that Africa has experienced significant progress in the area of
gender equality over the years. However, progress has been patchy and inconsistent
within and among nations, making it quite difficult for the full potential of women and
girls to be realised. For while there is parity at the basic levels of education for both girls
and boys, there is a wide gap as they climb the educational ladder to the tertiary levels.
This is also true for the corporate levels of leadership where it is revealed that only 5% of
Africa’s CEOs are women. Many of them find themselves competing at lower levels of
management but with little chances of making it to the top. 

These variations are caused by a number of factors which are becoming more evident to
the ordinary woman, hence the hope for a fulfilling future. However, while the path to
progress is becoming clearer for both men and women, it is incumbent on women
themselves to pick up the mantle and engineer change starting from their immediate
environments from the grassroots and find expression at the highest levels. Young women hold the key to engineer the change that the world so much needs.

Leading change however comes with responsibilities which requires passion, knowledge
and skills to execute. The Young African Women Congress (YAWC) comes as one unique
platform which encourages knowledge sharing and intellectual discourse which also
ignites the innovation and passion of participants for change.

The 2019 edition of YAWC will take place in Accra from 21st to 25th July 2019 under the
theme; “Grassroots Mobilisation for Women’s Empowerment: Young Women Lead”.
The congress will feature well-renowned leaders from across the world who will take
participants through various sessions including keynote presentation, panel discussions,
group brainstorming sessions and a night of cultural display among others.

A special feature of the 2019 edition however, will be, the running of parallel sessions which would allow participants to share their experiences in projects and ventures they are
undertaking in their communities and countries to inspire change. Participants will also
be taken on a full day trip to enjoy the beauty and heritage of some parts of the country,
Ghana. 

We wish all women, a happy International Women’s Day.