The Ghana Library Authority (GhLA) has announced Philomena Esi Agudu as the winner of the maiden edition of the Youth Advocacy Challenge.

Ms Agudu, a 23-year-old medical student from the University of Cape Coast, emerged as the winner in this year's last quarter competition, which is part of the Youth Engagement Centre project, an initiative of the GhLA.

The programme, supported by UNICEF, aims to empower young people to express their perspectives and propose solutions to critical national issues.

Ms Agudu won the competition for an article she wrote on the topic “Inclusive Education in Ghana: Bridging the Gap for Girls and Persons with Disabilities.”

Her thought-provoking article presented practical solutions to mitigate challenges faced by marginalised groups in the educational system. It raised awareness and offered actionable recommendations to enhance inclusivity and accessibility for girls and persons with disabilities.

The Youth Advocacy Challenge provides an opportunity for young people to contribute to national dialogue on key issues, offering a platform to share innovative ideas and advocate for change. This aligns with GhLA and UNICEF's commitment to creating a generation of informed and active youth.

Under the initiative, a new topic is released each quarter, sparking fresh discussions and inspiring impactful articles. The theme for the recent quarter focused on education, while the theme for this quarter will address health, with application dates to be announced soon.

Ms Agudu competed in the challenge alongside six other participants, and at the end, she was awarded a sum of GHC3,000.