Consortium Partners of the Resilient City for Adolescents (RCA) project have commended the Healthy Cities for Adolescents Phase II (HCA-II) programme for its transformative role in empowering young people globally and embedding adolescent participation in city-level governance and development processes.
The Consortium – comprising the Global Media Foundation (GLOMEF), Citizens Watch Ghana, and the Indigenous Women Empowerment Network (IWEN) – noted that HCA-II has elevated adolescents participation beyond national contexts, positioning their engagement as a shared global development responsibility.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the Global Learning Forum (GLF) 2026, held in Ho in Ghana’s Volta Region, the Executive Director of Citizens Watch Ghana, Mr. Simon Asore, described the forum as a powerful demonstration of growing international commitment to investing in adolescents as critical drivers of democratic accountability, social innovation, and sustainable urban development.
He explained that the GLF created a unique space for young people from diverse cultural, political and social backgrounds to engage directly with decision-makers, exchange lived experiences and co-create solutions to common challenges affecting their generation.
The 2026 Global Learning Forum was organised by Ecorys UK with funding from Fondation Botnar and brought together predominantly adolescents and city officials from six countries – Ghana, India, Ecuador, Senegal, Vietnam, and Colombia – underscoring the programme’s global reach and relevance.
Mr. Asore highlighted the tangible impact of the HCA-II programme in Sunyani through the RCA project, which is being implemented by the consortium with GLOMEF as the lead implementer.
He noted that hundreds of adolescents have benefited and continue to benefit from free mentorship and entrepreneurship skills training in areas such as journalism, ICT, fashion design, soap making, bakery, makeup artistry, hairdressing, and bead making. Graduates of these apprenticeships have also received start-up kits and essential tools, enabling them to transition from training to income generation.
Beyond skills development, Mr. Asore emphasized the establishment of the Sunyani Adolescent Parliament under the RCA project. Through this platform, adolescent Members of Parliament, he said, identify community issues, debate policy concerns, demand accountability from city authorities and actively participate in municipal decision-making processes through the Intermediary City Ecosystem Platform (ICEP).
On his part, the Programmes Manager of GLOMEF, Mr. Edward Ayabilah, said the organisation’s participation in the Global Learning Forum was driven by its core mission to promote inclusive governance and amplify adolescent voices through structured civic engagement initiatives in Ghana and beyond.
He stressed that the HCA-II initiative has repositioned adolescents not merely as future leaders, but as leaders of today – capable of shaping policies, influencing city systems, and contributing meaningfully to development outcomes.
A major highlight of GLF 2026, he said, was the selection of Master Daniel Frimpong Sarkodie, Speaker of the Sunyani Adolescent Parliament, as a co-host for the entire week-long forum. Mr. Ayabilah described this recognition as a significant milestone for the Resilient City for Adolescents project.
“This recognition affirms the quality of leadership development happening at the local level and demonstrates that when young people are properly mentored and given the opportunity, they can excel on global platforms,” he said.
Discussions at the GLF 2026 centred on democratic participation, accountability, social innovation, and strategic partnerships for sustainable development, with adolescents playing active roles as contributors and co-creators rather than passive participants.
Mr. Ayabilah further noted that the knowledge, exposure and international networks gained through the forum would strengthen local action, as participants return to their communities better equipped to influence policy dialogue and drive community-led initiatives.
He emphasized that platforms such as the Global Learning Forum are critical to preparing adolescents for leadership in an increasingly interconnected world, where local actions have global implications.
According to him, GLOMEF’s engagement in the forum reinforces its long-standing commitment to adolescent inclusion, social justice, and democratic accountability – positioning young people as active partners in development rather than mere beneficiaries.
Source: www.kumasimail.com/Edmond Gyebi
