Background

Ms. Sherifatu Yakubu is a social development professional with over 15 years’ experience in development programming. She has been at the forefront of leading impactful program design and implementation to advance women’s livelihood security, women-led peace advocacy, sexual and reproductive health rights of women and girls and gender-responsive climate adaptations.

Ms. Sherifatu holds Master of Philosophy Degree (MPhil) in Community Health and Development (CHD) from the University for Development Studies in Tamale-Ghana, where she specialized in Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights in 2020. She obtained her Bachelor’s degree from the same university at the Wa Campus in Integrated Development Studies (IDS) in 2009.

She is a recipient of several awards including The 2021 Access Bank Business Start-Up Challenge and the UNDP 2023 District Innovation Challenge where she was the 2nd Runner- up in both challenges. She has successfully partnered with and raised funding for impactful initiatives for women-centred projects including from the USAID Ghana Trade and Investment Activity, USAID Resilience in Northern Ghana Systems Strengthening II, the TFHO, the African Women Development Fund and the STAR Ghana Foundation.

Ms. Sherifatu is currently an Assistant Lecturer at the School of Public Health with the Department of Social and Behavioural Change, UDS. She is also with the Centre for Gender and Career Mentorship where she supports in the delivery of inclusive programs to advance women’s welfare and career progression. Before joining the UDS, Ms Sherifatu was the Executive Director of the Women Support and Activists Group (WOSAG) – a women-led women’s rights NGO where she provided oversight responsibility and strategic leadership for impactful people and programs management. She is passionate about creating safer spaces for women and girls to thrive despite the existing challenges. That is why she is currently attached to the UDS Gender Centre for Career Mentorship.