Adolescents urged to report sexual abuses to law enforcers

Madam Thywill Eyra Kpe, the Volta Regional Director of the Department of Gender, has enjoined adolescents, both boys and girls to stand up against sexual and any form of abuses, by reporting to their parents, the Police and other relevant agencies for redress.

She said failure to report these abuses only emboldens the perpetrators to revisit the same on other people, meaning the chain continues.

Madam Kpe said this at a workshop to track the progress of 'Ambassadors' of the programmes.

The follow-up meeting was to find out the impact made by ambassadors of the programme to fellow pupils and students and also take them through extra updates and skills in mentorship.

The mentorship programme was organised in November 2020 by the Department of Gender, Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection with the Volta Regional Coordinating Council (VRCC) with support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

Madam Kpe disclosed that girl child education was impeded by Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), child marriages and the lack of comprehensive knowledge on their reproductive health, sexuality and rights.

She said SGBV was any act committed against the will of a person because of their sex and gender, disclosing that such violence could be physical, psychological, economic and harmful cultural practices.

Ms Vivian Adafia, a Public Health Nurse at the Ho Municipal Directorate, speaking on "adolescent sexual and reproductive health," said that it was necessary for girls to know and understand their bodies to prevent unwanted pregnancy and promote good health.

She advised girls and boys to abstain from sex to prevent contracting Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) and reiterated that girls attain their dreams by not getting pregnant.

Ms Adafia took the girls through ways of properly wearing a pad and a hygienic way of discarding them after usage.

Madam Millicent Dakeh, Volta Regional Girls Education Officer of the Ghana Education Service (GES), urged all adolescent girls who had given birth to return to school, it was an initiative for girls to attain higher heights in education.

She reiterated the need for all girls and boys to abstain from premarital sex.

The girls were presented with three months use of sanitary pads and the boys were presented with books.