Lamnatu Adam is a development practitioner who has over 20 years of experience in gender and human rights activism in development. She also has a solid track record and background in gender-responsive program design and management. Lamnatu has a deep interest in the fight for social justice. She is focused on community development and empowerment of marginalized populations such as women, children and the disabled. Thus, she contributes significantly to changing narratives on gender discrimination and violence against excluded groups within and beyond northern Ghana. Her advocacy work has earned her several awards. Lamnatu's contributions have been enormous toward advocating for reintegration, closure and dignity of marginalize groups, and she was recognized by the organization "Girls, Not Brides" for her work to remove child marriages from communities. 

IVLP Impact Award Project: Deepening the Voices of SGBV Survivors in Ghana to Catalyze Policy Change

In Ghana, more women suffer violence, particularly domestic violence, than men. The victims also find it difficult to get any form of support such as psychosocial counselling in order to facilitate their rehabilitation. This project was commissioned to mobilize and facilitate the networking of survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. The project engaged 34 survivors as well as members of the local government and traditional and religious leaders in order to propel a national discourse on SGBV through storytelling, documentation and to solicit policy responses from responsible parties on SGBV. The project worked with Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit and Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice to profile the survivors in a documentary to reduce sexual and gender-based violence in the community, and to be shared on national media. During this period, the Legal Aid Commission saw an increase in reported cases of sexual and gender-based violence. The climax of the project was a national dialogue forum that targeted policymakers for their commitments and policy responses. During the forum, Chiefs and elder leaders committed to implementing systems to reduce the vulnerability of women and girls. The project was implemented in Tamale Metropolis in the Northern Region of Ghana. 

"I am really touched by this documentary you have put together, it shows a clear power interplay and how men have used their power to abuse women. I need to discuss this with my other chiefs in our paramountcy to take pragmatic steps to support and protect women from such inhumane treatment. This should not happen in a reasonable society."  - Local Chief & Attendee

IVLP Exchange Experience

Lamnatu was a participant in the IVLP Project Women in Politics and Civil Society, organized by the U.S. Department of State, Meridian International Center and FHI 360.

U.S. Communities Visited Virtually

Denver, CO; Washington, DC; Jacksonville, FL; Des Moines, IO; Louisville, KY; Minneapolis, MN; Charlotte, NC; Lincoln, NE; Salt Lake City, UT

"IVLP was full of learning and had many takeaway lessons on how to improve my work. It was also very thought-provoking. Although the experience was virtual, we bonded very well." - Lamnatu Adam

Country: Ghana

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