By Agbaxode Emmanuel, GNA
Ave Dakpa (V/R), Nov. 29, GNA - The Department of Gender in the Volta Region has organised a community forum for boys and men on gender equality and ending teenage pregnancy at Ave Dakpa in the Akatsi North District of the Volta Region.
The engagement sought to sensitise, and create awareness among participants on the negative effects of teenage pregnancy on family and society.
Madam Lena Alai, Volta Regional Director of the Department of Gender who spoke on the theme, "Well Trained Girls and Boys, make a Developed Society," bemoaned the increasing cases of teenage pregnancy in the District and called for concerted efforts to address the situation.
The 2018 Ghana Health Service (GHS) district ranking of teenage pregnancy in the region mentioned Akatsi North as the highest, out of the 25 districts in the region.
Madam Alai said the report had serious implications for higher education and capacity building for young men and women to become responsible citizens in future.
She therefore underscored the need to safeguard the future and rights of women and girls as enshrined in the Sustainable Development Goal Five (SDG 5), focused on empowering all women and girls by 2030.
“It is in line with the above that the Department of Gender as an implementing partner of the Seventh Country Programme of the UNFPA, is holding this forum in Akatsi North,” she said.
She indicated that the Beijing Platform for Action showed that equality between men and women was a prerequisite for achieving political, social, economic, cultural and environmental security among all people.
“Ghana recognises that Gender and Women Empowerment are critical to the attainment of sustainable national development and we must all come together to achieve this,” she added.
Mrs. Millicent Kokui Heloo, the Akatsi North District Director of Health, also expressed worry about the increasing figures of teenage pregnancy in the District.
She said reported teenage pregnancies at health facilities in the District from January to October in 2019 stood at 90 as against 114 recorded throughout the year 2018.
She expressed the willingness of Ghana Health Service to partner various agencies to educate the public on the effects of teenage pregnancy and called on parents and guardians to play their respective roles.
Togbui Hodzi Dunyo IV, “Dufia” of Ave- Atanve gave the assurance that the traditional rulers would play their roles to address the situation.
He said special motivations and awards would be given to communities with lower cases of teenage pregnancies in 2020 and called for support from all.
Torgbe Dunyo said irresponsible parenting was a major contributory factor that led teenagers into pre-marital relationships, which often resulted to pregnancies.
Other issues such as child marriage and gender based violence and implications of adolescent pregnancy were discussed.
The forum was organised in collaboration with the Volta Regional Coordinating Council with funding from the United Nations Population Fund UNICEF’s joint Adolescent Girls Programme.
GNA
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