A one-day forum to devise concrete strategies for sustaining responses on gender equality and to highlight issues on women and youth in the ECOWAS sub region has been held in Accra. The forum under the theme Passing on the Baton: Issues for Youth, Media and the Women’s Movement aims at producing a set of actionable proposals to accelerate the implementation of gender based issues. The key stakeholders for the forum which included gender activists, youth groups and some media experts are expected to develop proposals on ways to advance and promote equality and to empower women and girls on the African sub-region. The forum organized by Moremi Initiative for Women’s Leadership in Africa in partnership with the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, is part of the upcoming UN Women High Level Symposium for ECOWAS Ministers of Finance and Women this month in Accra. Moremi Initiative is a non-profit organization which focuses on early development of women leaders who can help to transform, change institutions and conditions that legitimize and perpetuate discrimination against women. The organization also prepares women and girls for leadership positions by providing training, mentoring and networking to change the deeply rooted beliefs and traditions that discriminate against women. In an interview with Myjoyonline.com, the co-founder of Moremi Initiative, Mawuli Dake, underscored the need to engage, inspire and equip women who take up leadership positions across Africa especially in politics. He said ensuring the full and active participation of women and girls in decision and policy-making is a pathway for Ghana to achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Mawuli Dake who is also a UN Consultant for the Symposium for ECOWAS Ministers of Finance, noted that the proposal from the forum would be presented at the UN Women High Level Symposium for ECOWAS Ministers of Finance for consideration. He urged the media to report more on gender-based issues and to task government and policy makers to implement treaties and conventions they have ratified to protect the rights of women and girls. Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Women and Children's Affairs, Hawawu Boya Gariba, guest of honour at the forum, pledged her ministry’s support to collaborate with organizations focusing on gender issues and promoting the welfare of women and girls. She added that the government is committed to creating a conducive environment for the integration of women and girls in all sectors of the economy. Honourable Hawawu Boya Gariba urged all stakeholders to contribute their quota in the fight against gender based violence in Africa.