The Ghana Education Service (GES), led by the Ministry of Education, has indicated that Comprehensive Sexuality Education, especially among adolescent girls, must be a necessity in various schools across the country.
Comprehensive Sexuality Education, is a systematic approach to the provision of rights scientifically accurate, age appropriate and culturally sexual sensitive education.
According to the GES and Education Ministry, the advocacy is necessary for empowering young people with the right knowledge, attitudes, values and skills to make informed decisions about their health.
Youth Program Coordinator, Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG), Ishmael Kwasi Selassie, reiterated that the girl child needed to be sensitized on the reproductive organ thoroughly.
He said vigrous advocacy on sexuality education will ensure healthy sexual and reproductive lives for adolescent girls.
Ishmael Selassie was speaking at a Media Advocacy on Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) as a tool for Empowering the adolescent girl, organized by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on Human Rights Day
The day was marked by the United Nations Sexual and Reproductive Health Agency to raise more awareness on the issue.
Mr Ishmeal Selassie stressed that comprehensive girl-child education on sexuality was pertinent and needed to be addressed with a sense of urgency because diversified sexuality education could begin from Kindergarten with children to make informed decisions about their sexuality before they become adults.
He however stated that Comprehensive child education in Ghana had some challenges due to the perception most people had regarding 'the sex talk'.
The PPAG Youth Coordinator, however, indicated that CSE does not promote misconceptions such as foreign agenda, condom use among young people, does not apply to only in-school young people, does not promote promiscuity, pornographic education.
He added that the awareness is not aimed at destroying indigenous culture and practices.
In his words, "CSE is not a foreign agenda. People think we're hiding behind CSE to promote things like homosexuality, contraceptive for children and so many other things...breaking down social norms and so on. Comprehensive sexuality education is not a foreign agenda like I said if you check the narratives in this country, even practices like bragoro or dipo..these are comprehensive sexuality education practices that have existed traditionally part of our culture."
Ishmael Selassie, on the hand, adviced Teachers and parents to desist from using a negative approach or harsh tone when dealing with matters related to sexuality education.
Elaborating on the need for an intense education regarding the reproductive organ he said, “So if we say that you’re giving scientifically accurate education we are saying that do not water down the content of the information you’re giving to young people. Teach them what they need to know but importantly, age appropriately, begin from where they can best understand and most suitable to them and as they grow you advance it.”
Meanwhile, UNFPA ended their 16 days of activism on sexual and gender based violence campaign today.
The United Nations Sexual and Reproductive Health Agency seeks to end unmet need for family planning, end preventable maternal death and end gender-based violence and harmful practices.
