Curious Minds, a youth-led non-governmental advocacy organization working to ensure that the youth are well-informed and also meaningfully participate in decision-making that affects their lives at local, national and international levels with support from Swedish Association for Sexuality Education (RFSU) has launched a peace campaign dubbed “Vote Not Fight” ahead of this year’s elections.
The campaign is aimed at advocating for peace and active youth engagement before, during, and after the 2020 general elections.
Addressing the media at the launch in Tamale, Advocacy and Communications Officer for Curious Minds, Mr Cecil Ato Kwamena Dadzie, said that as youth who formed the majority of Ghana’s population have a critical role to play in maintaining peace in the upcoming elections.
“As a youth-led organization, we believe that young people have a crucial role to play in maintaining the peace we enjoy as well as meaningfully contribute to the electoral process. Instead of being manipulated to fight for and by politicians, through this campaign, many young people will research, read the manifestos, engage candidates, step out in their numbers to vote as well as track their promises and hold them accountable. The youth of Ghana have a lot to contribute and should be seen as resources and not problems. Curious Minds would continue to set the young people’s development agenda and make the voice of the youth relevant in the corridors of power,” he stated.
In an interview with two of the campaign’s youth peace ambassadors, Adiza Fuseini who doubles as a member of the Northern Regional Chapter of Curious Minds said “..the peace campaign is an opportunity to strengthen the peace building process to ensure a violent-free election as well as hearing the voices and views of young people from across Ghana and in the diaspora.”
She hoped that the manifestos of the various political parties will offer sustainable solutions to the many challenges of Ghana’s youth, particularly young women against unsafe abortions, unplanned pregnancies and sexual and gender-based violence.
Mohammed Hafiz Musah another peace ambassador and member of Curious Minds also mentioned that there is the need to engage the young people in the country in the quest to make the elections a contest of ideas.
“More engagements are needed especially among young people in rural and hard to reach communities, discussing the urgency to mobilize, share ideas and contribute meaningfully to the upcoming elections and beyond, to promote social and community development as well as national progress,” he indicated.
Curious Minds through this Social Media Peace Campaign seeks to increase youth voter turnout, reduce the incidence of violence especially among youth, encourage positive youth engagement with a political candidate on issues, Mobilize commitments to and Pledges for peace. The six month campaign is expected to commence in the month of August and end in January next year.
By Dennis Attuquayefio|GIJ|Ghana