A year ago
For phase five of its "Promoting Adolescents Safe Spaces Project in the Central Region," the non-governmental organization International Needs Ghana (INGH), which is dedicated to the advancement of females, is focusing on 18 new villages in the Central Region.
A project officer with the INGH, Judith Sarsah, stated that 18 communities in its three operational districts, including the Cape Coast metropolis, the Komenda Edina Eguafo Abrem (KEEA), and the Mfantseman municipality, would benefit from the project at an initial meeting for stakeholders before the start of the project.
The initiative, which falls under the Global Programme to Accelerate Action to End Child Marriage, is being carried out by INGH in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
The goal of the initiative is to give girls the chance to completely enjoy their youth, free from the threat of child marriage, and to assist them in making life transitions that are healthier, safer, and more independent.
The Ghana Health Service (GHS), the Social Welfare Department, the Department of Gender, the Ghana Education Service (GES), and the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) were among the stakeholders present at the conference.
Successes are noted
The project's continuation, according to Mrs. Sarsah, was influenced by the success of earlier phases that educated girls on adolescent reproductive health and empowered them to make decisions about their sexuality, relationship development, marriage, and childbearing. The INGH, she said, would educate selected adolescent girls on a range of adolescent issues, including sexual health.
Providing support for them to remain in school, as well as adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights, menstrual hygiene, and gender-based violence
49 localities gain.
Since the project's commencement, 49 villages have benefited, according to Mrs. Sarsah, who also noted that the impact on those areas has been significant.
Richlove Amamoo, the Central Regional Director of Health, asked all parties to work together effectively to ensure that girls and adolescents were safeguarded from sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).
She asked everyone to exercise caution and to immediately report any instances of SGBV to the relevant authorities for swift action.
Performance on the Basic Education Certificate Examination has improved significantly, according to Philomena Ghartey of the KEEA Education Directorate. She suggested that some of these improvements may have contributed to the BECE's improvement.
Selase Agbogah, a nurse with the KEEA health directorate, claimed that the scheme has enabled the local health service to educate many more teenagers on safer reproductive health practices.
All parties involved are advised to exercise caution and collaborate in order to secure the protection and welfare of teenagers, says Cynthia Arday, the INGH Child Rights Team Leader.
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