FIDA and AYA train 20 paralegals in Atwima

Abuakwa (Ash), Jan 5, GNA - Mrs Beatrice Appah, Atwima District Director of Health Services, has stated that the termination of education and the inaccessibility of information by adolescent girls on reproductive health constituted a violation of their adolescent rights. She said adolescents rather needed education and information on their reproductive health to enable them know the dangers they were exposed to by indulging in casual and unprotected sex.

Mrs Appah was speaking at the launching of a training of 20 paralegals to act as referral points in communities at Abuakwa, in the Atwima district.

The communities were Abuakwa, Asuofua, Tano-Dumase, Adankwame, Nkawie, Atwima-Koforidua, Toase, Mpasatia and Nyinahin.

The Federation of International Women Lawyers (FIDA) and the African Youth Alliance (AYA) are sponsoring the programme.

She pointed out that the training and the involvement of young people as peer educators would complement the national adolescent reproductive policy and enhance the dissemination of information and services relevant to young adolescents.

Mrs Appah urged the youth to embrace the adolescent reproductive programme since their involvement was very important if it was to succeed.

Mr Charles Habiah, Co-ordinator of FIDA/AYA Adolescent Reproductive Rights Projects, said the aim of the collaboration between the two organisations was to promote adolescent sexual and reproductive health rights.

He explained that they had conducted intensive and extensive research and played an advocacy role to increased awareness on adolescent reproductive health and supported the enacting of laws and policies on adolescent sexual and reproductive rights.