Teenage pregnancy and child marriage on the rise in Ghana - Saudatu Mohammed laments

Saudatu Mohammed, the Executive Director of Life Again, a non-governmental organisation, has raised concerns about the increasing cases of teenage pregnancy and child marriage in Ghana.

In an interview with Joy News, she emphasised that despite significant progress in promoting girls' rights in the country, many are still denied access to education, health services, and safety.

According to Mohammed, the rates of teenage pregnancy remain alarmingly high, with approximately 107,000 births annually among girls aged 10 to 19.

"Teenage pregnancy is on the rise here (Ghana), with an average of 107,000 births between the ages of 10 to 19 years becoming pregnant every year in Ghana.

"Bringing it home to the Upper West Region, almost 10,000 girls became pregnant in our communities, with some districts recording 2 pregnancies every single day in their district. These are not just numbers, but real girls who are denied access to education due to teenage pregnancy, she explained.

She also highlighted the increasing rates of child marriage, stating that one out of four girls in Ghana are married before the age of 18.

"Also, child marriage is on the increase, with one out of four girls in Ghana marrying before they turn age 18. The Upper West Region is one of the regions with the high rate of child marriages, with a rate of 36 percent exceeding the national average of 25 percent," she noted.

Saudatu urged parents, teachers, and community members to create an environment where the dreams of young girls can flourish.

"Girls around the world have dreams; they have ideas, and they have aspirations, and these dreams, ideas, and aspirations are bold, innovative, and transformative.

"It is our collective responsibility as parents, teachers, and community members to listen to them, support them, and create spaces where every girl's vision can thrive," she added.

The rise in teenage pregnancy and child marriages in Ghana poses significant barriers to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 5, which emphasises the importance of empowering young girls and ensuring their access to health and education for a sustainable future.

JKB/EB

Meanwhile, catch up on the latest episode of The Lowdown on GhanaWeb TV with Etsey Atisu as he caught with Philip Atawura, who just returned from a successful kidney transplant in India.