Accra, Oct.8, GNA - The Chief Justice, Justice George Acquah, on Wednesday called on government to give top priority to the needs of adolescents to enable them to acquire the relevant skills to become responsible future leaders.
He said areas such as health with serious emphasis on HIV/AIDS, education, nutrition, recreational options, guidance and counselling services were the areas that serious attention should be paid to by government.
In a speech read for him at the launch of the United Nations State of the World Population Report-2003 in Accra, the Chief Justice said such groups of the population could not be ignored and urged government to make good decisions to programme for and integrate the needs of the youth into national policy framework.
The report, under the theme: "Making 1 billion count: Investing in adolescents' health and rights, reinforced the clarion call for increased attention to issues facing young people everywhere. The report stresses the need for countries to urgently address issues of education, information and health services for adolescents. Justice Acquah said resources should be mobilised at the national, district, community, family and individual levels in a more holistic manner to make the right investment in adolescents for the enhancement of the nation's growth and development. "Political commitment at the highest levels, matched with resources sustained over time, is therefore, very crucial for success of programmes addressing the often-sensitive issues relating to adolescent sexuality", he added. He called on policy makers; politicians and opinion leaders to be equipped with the requisite knowledge to enable them to appreciate the significance of the dynamics of adolescents' profile. Justice Acquah noted that, "We will not be able to reverse the spread of the HIV/AIDS, reduce maternal mortality and extreme poverty as called for in the millennium development goals unless greater investments are made in young people".
Dr. Araba Sefa-Dede, a clinical psychologist, who gave the overview of the report and the situation in Ghana said although some efforts have been made to address the needs of the adolescent, yet there was much to be done.
She called for the need to create an enabling environment was necessary to enable adolescents to make informed choices oo their health and ensure that they, especially the females were kept in school.
She said reproductive health services should be made friendly and designed to improve accessibility and should be acceptable by the youth. She suggested that attractive Programmes be drawn for out of school youth and family education programmes strengthened in schools. Dr Sefa-Dede said all draft policies on adolescents should be finished and publicised to provide framework within which policy makers, programme managers could formulate, implement and evaluate programmes to address the needs of adolescents.
Ms Joyce Laryea, a member of the Youth Advisory Board of the Africa Youth Alliance on behalf of the youth, called for the implementation and enforcement of Conventions, policies and constitutional rights of young people which have been ratified by Ghana to enable them to exercise their rights to health, education and enhance their human living conditions.
Solidarity messages from Ghana AIDS Commission, Ghana Health Services, National Youth Council and religious bodies stressed on the need for the youth to be involved and be informed on issues that concerned them. 09 Oct. 03
Accra, Oct.8, GNA - The Chief Justice, Justice George Acquah, on Wednesday called on government to give top priority to the needs of adolescents to enable them to acquire the relevant skills to become responsible future leaders.
He said areas such as health with serious emphasis on HIV/AIDS, education, nutrition, recreational options, guidance and counselling services were the areas that serious attention should be paid to by government.
In a speech read for him at the launch of the United Nations State of the World Population Report-2003 in Accra, the Chief Justice said such groups of the population could not be ignored and urged government to make good decisions to programme for and integrate the needs of the youth into national policy framework.
The report, under the theme: "Making 1 billion count: Investing in adolescents' health and rights, reinforced the clarion call for increased attention to issues facing young people everywhere. The report stresses the need for countries to urgently address issues of education, information and health services for adolescents. Justice Acquah said resources should be mobilised at the national, district, community, family and individual levels in a more holistic manner to make the right investment in adolescents for the enhancement of the nation's growth and development. "Political commitment at the highest levels, matched with resources sustained over time, is therefore, very crucial for success of programmes addressing the often-sensitive issues relating to adolescent sexuality", he added. He called on policy makers; politicians and opinion leaders to be equipped with the requisite knowledge to enable them to appreciate the significance of the dynamics of adolescents' profile. Justice Acquah noted that, "We will not be able to reverse the spread of the HIV/AIDS, reduce maternal mortality and extreme poverty as called for in the millennium development goals unless greater investments are made in young people".
Dr. Araba Sefa-Dede, a clinical psychologist, who gave the overview of the report and the situation in Ghana said although some efforts have been made to address the needs of the adolescent, yet there was much to be done.
She called for the need to create an enabling environment was necessary to enable adolescents to make informed choices oo their health and ensure that they, especially the females were kept in school.
She said reproductive health services should be made friendly and designed to improve accessibility and should be acceptable by the youth. She suggested that attractive Programmes be drawn for out of school youth and family education programmes strengthened in schools. Dr Sefa-Dede said all draft policies on adolescents should be finished and publicised to provide framework within which policy makers, programme managers could formulate, implement and evaluate programmes to address the needs of adolescents.
Ms Joyce Laryea, a member of the Youth Advisory Board of the Africa Youth Alliance on behalf of the youth, called for the implementation and enforcement of Conventions, policies and constitutional rights of young people which have been ratified by Ghana to enable them to exercise their rights to health, education and enhance their human living conditions.
Solidarity messages from Ghana AIDS Commission, Ghana Health Services, National Youth Council and religious bodies stressed on the need for the youth to be involved and be informed on issues that concerned them. 09 Oct. 03
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