The Eastern Region recorded a worrying rise in Gender-Based Violence (GBV) cases from 1,772 in 2016 to 2,189 in 2023, representing a 19.04 percent surge.
Despite a drop in the adolescent pregnancy rate from 13.1 percent in 2019 to 5.9 percent in 2023, the region continues to record high numbers of teenage pregnancies.
Over a two-year period, the Eastern Region documented 25,285 teenage pregnancies, including 669 girls aged between 10 and 14.
These were revealed during a trainers workshop for selected Master Artisans in the Eastern Region as part of United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) – Government of Ghana 8th Country Programme (2023-2027) aimed at tackling the menace in the region.
The initiative focuses on zero preventable maternal deaths, zero unmet need for family planning, and zero gender-based violence, and harmful practices including Child Marriage and Female Genital Mutilation.
Participants were treated to topics such as Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), adolescent health, and sexual and reproductive rights.
Opening the training, the Eastern Regional Minister, Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey said the training forms part of the Adolescent Girls Programme (AGP) interventions, a sub-component of the 8th Country Programme being supported by the Canadian Government.
She said the main aim is to empower girls to reach their full potential by addressing the social, economic, health and educational barriers that hinder their development.
“We live in a world where misinformation, peer pressure and silence often put young people at risk. Through this training programme, we hope to break that silence: creating a safe space for honest conversations, questions and learning. You may gain insight into topics such as understanding sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), as well as skills development for healthy relationships and informed decision-making. Also issues of puberty, consent, gender equality and empowerment, family planning (preventing teenage pregnancies) and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)”.
Eastern Regional Planning Officer, Michael Agyemang, explained that “We noticed that many apprentices have very limited knowledge about GBV and adolescent health issues,” he said. “This workshop is to expose them to the causes, effects, and preventive measures so they can protect themselves and educate others.”
About 270 apprentice leaders were trained under the initiative. The next phase of the programme will target 700 in-school adolescents across seven schools and establish boys’ clubs in selected districts.
Mr. Agyemang added that district planning officers will also receive training to integrate adolescent health and GBV issues into their medium-term plans to ensure sustainability even after the project ends.
According to Raymond Teye Djimajor, Head of Programs for Community Development in the Eastern Region, who was one of the facilitators, incidence of teenage pregnancy and Sexual and Gender Based Violence in the region as alarming hence lauded the initiative.
He said social media is worsening risk of exposure of young girls to abuses hence called for a regulatory and protection regime.
“You mentioned about social media trends.It’s also alarming. It influences a lot of the decisions that these young people make. And as a fact, a lot of young people are more on social media than many adults who are burdened with work and other duties. So it’s important that from the angle of cyber, they can have that address. But it’s also important that developmental partners and players like ourselves and other people also infiltrate the space with some of the awareness issues”. said Raymond Teye Djimajor.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
