CALL FOR PARTICIPATION (PHYSICAL AND VIRTUAL)
(Secondary schools in Nigeria)

7TH RAISING GIRLS’ AMBITION INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE (RAGA 2021)

Theme: “Gender & Power: Driving Force for Social Change or a Hindrance”.
Debate and Essay Topic- RAGA 2021:
Women's Leadership: A Driving Force for Social, Economic and Political Change in Africa by 2050
Day1: Pre-conference Tuesday, 12th October, 2021 (Secondary schools): Time: 9:30am -2:00pm (UTC).
Day2: Students interaction with Speakers and Mentors, and announcement of winners: 12:00-3pm (UTC).
Venue: International Conference Centre, Lead City University, Lagos/Ibadan Express
Way Toll Gate, Ibadan
Virtual Venue: Zoom

Gender refers to the characteristics of women, men, girls and boys that are socially constructed. This includes norms, behaviours and roles associated with being a woman, man, girl or boy, as well as relationships with each other. As a social construct, gender varies from society to society and can change over time. Power is the ability to do or act; capability of doing or accomplishing something. Social change involves alteration of the social order of a society. It may include changes in social institutions, social behaviours or social relations.

Interest in establishing gender disparities has dispersed across the neighbourhood of those working to gain global gender equity Cislaghi, B., Manji, K. and Heise, L. (2018), Lilleston, P.S., Goldmann, L., Verma, R.K. and McCleary-Sills, J. (2017), Vaitla, B., Taylor, A., Horn, J.V. and Cislaghi, B. (2017). Several studies according to Harper and Marcus (2018) have examined gender norms as both a source of and a remedy to the issue of the gender gap between men and women. The issue of gender gap and inequality is a global concern that has been trending over some years. And this tends to manifest in various ways, including and not limited to politics, health, governance, laws and jurisprudence among others. The theory of gendered power gaps is mostly used to analyse gender inequality that is prevalent in the political arena. Gender differences are about the inequality of power or rank, with men granted higher status by their gender than women.

In short, no culture remains the same forever, except through social transition triggered by social change, the key basic cause that helps drive it. In the twenty-first century, sociologists such as Ibn Khaldun of the fourteenth century and Immanuel Wallerstein both admitted that social change was the focus of much of the study of the growth, structure, and functioning of human society. In the global political debate, therefore, the current trend is to pursue more women’s involvement in politics, power and decision-making. The implementation of women's quotas in India’s parliament has recently been projected to result in a 9% to 12% decrease in maternal mortality (Baskaran, T., S. Bhalotra, B. Min, Y. Uppal, 2018)). Giving the above analyses, it is succinct to conclude that bridging the gender divide in politics and power is a gift to mankind at large in disguise.  When you have lots of power, you have a wide range of acceptable behavior, a lot of leeway in what you can say and do, but when you lack power, your range of acceptable behavior narrows. Gender is not only a cause but also a consequence, instrument and embodiment of power-over relations. It is a key mechanism through which power not only constrains but constitutes individuals and is perhaps the most persistent form of ‘invisible power’ in our world.

Global Youth leadership and Girl-Child Foundation (GYLGF), a Non- governmental and Leadership Organization established since 2001 and incorporated in 2014 with the Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja Nigeria. The foundation is concerned with providing result-based and enduring solutions to the challenges faced by women, youths and the girl-child. Raising Girls Ambition is a project that has taken a central role in the struggle for women, and indeed the Girl-child’s right to a meaningful physical, mental, emotional and socially developed life, using education advocacy. We have served high schools students, youth population and indeed women in Oyo State, and we are expanding. Over 2000 girls and 200 boys have benefited from our education advocacy and intervention programmes as well as various competitions that helps to stimulate their young brains.

The Annual Raising Girls Ambition International Interdisciplinary Conference (since 2015; every October) is a project that has taken a central role in the struggle for women, and indeed the Girl-child’s right to a meaningful physical, mental, emotional and socially developed life, in a society that is patriarchal. Raising Girls’ Ambition Conference was conceived to bring together the Academia, Researchers, Development Practitioners, Policy makers, Educational institutions, Students in Tertiary and Secondary Schools and other Stakeholders who have concern for the development of the girl-child. RAGA conferences therefore bring to the front burner issues that would help girls’ ambitions to be raised. The Conferences feature presentations from international and national NGOs, academia, policy makers, legal practitioners and health workers; as well as Essay and Creative Arts Competition for Secondary School Girls.

This conference (RAGA 2021) therefore brings women, men, (high school students who are the future power), policy makers, academics, NGO practitioners, human resources managers and corporations to give answers to this year’s theme and of course sub-themes which include but not limited to the following Disciplines:
+234 805 612 9314

NB: Deadline for Essay and Creative Arts Submission: September 1, 2021; to be submitted to Email: ragaessay0@gmail.com

Essay/Debate topic: "Women's Leadership: A Driving Force for Social, Economic and Political Change in Africa by 2050"

Essay should be written in simple, understandable English. MUST be word processed with computer, with minimum of 800 words and maximum of 1,000 words, 12 point Times Roman, 1.5 line spacing. Essays must be sent online by attachment file, saved in Word format and submitted to ragaessay0@gmail.com/ any Essay That Does Not Meet the Criteria Will Be Disqualified.

1. Debate: School/Individual candidate that want to participate in debate should inform us ahead and submit the name of one person representing their school. Each speaker should prepare to speak for the motion:

Topic: Women's Leadership: A Driving Force for Social, Economic and Political Change in Africa by 2050

2. Quiz: Questions will centre on women who have blazed the trail in their careers, vocation, politics, science, engineering, industry and business and as defenders of women’s rights in Nigeria and elsewhere.

3. Creative Art Submission should reflect on the conference theme. All media including: drawing, painting and shading, print on Paper, Batik and Flex, are acceptable. It MUST be mounted or framed for proper wall display. Two –dimensional surface should be 18 x 24inches or more; could be in water colour, pastel, origami, or mix media. 3 dimensional entries, i.e. Sculptural form must be 12 inches high or more. It MUST be an original piece.

CREATIVE Project should be submitted to:
Dr. Adepeju Oti. Faculty of Arts and Education, Lead City University, Ibadan Ground Floor, Monday-Friday- 10am-3pm, +234 805 612 9314 (Please Call before embarking on the journey).

IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Deadline for submissions September 7, 2021.

ELIGIBILITY: Girls ONLY. Junior/Senior Secondary.

NB: All participants MUST register online. Attendance fee is #1000 Compulsory. Certificate #500 (optional).
FOREIGN STUDENTS $20

Important Information
Schools are allowed to enter for only one competition
Boys are not excluded from the conference but ONLY girls are eligible to enter for the competitions.


Winners will take home up to #50,000 (Fifty Thousand Naira).
There prizes for first and second runners up an d many consolation prizes

FOR SPONSORSHIP/DONATIONS AND INQUIRIES CALL +234 805 612 9314

KEEP SHARING UNTIL ALL ELIGIBLE GIRLS HAVE THE INFORMATION AND REGISTER.

YOU CAN SPONSOR A GIRL. YOU CAN DONATE PRIZES IN CASH AND KIND. THANK YOU
Dr. Adepeju Oti Adepeju
Convener
RAGA Conferences

Account details: Global Youth Leadership and Girl-child Foundation. Gtbank. Account no. 0171120241.

For international students; CORRESPONDENT BANK:    CITIBANK, NEW YORK. SWIFT CODE: CITIUS33. ABA NO: 021000089. FOR CREDIT OF: GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC, LAGOS, NIGERIA. SWIFT CODE:  GTBINGLA. SORT CODE: 058-194023. ACCOUNT NUMBER: 0171120241. FOR FINAL CREDIT OF :  Global Youth Leadership and Girl-Child Foundation.
online payment link for international participants https://flutterwave.com/pay/iyw2qasvod07