Media urged to influence reforms on adolescent reproductive rights

Kumasi, March 23, GNA- Media practitioners have been urged to play an effective role to influence decision of policy makers to bring about reforms in the laws regarding adolescent reproductive health issues in the country.

Mrs Jane Quaye, Executive Director of FIDA made the call at a day's sensitisation seminar on adolescent reproductive rights for some selected media practitioners from Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo and Upper West regions in Kumasi on Monday.

The seminar aimed at promoting the use of the media as an effective tool to advance the adolescent reproductive health policy at the regional and national levels.

It was also to give the media practitioners the opportunity to identify human rights violations that adolescent face and to highlight these abuses in their reportage.

Mrs Quaye stated that the role of the media in educating and dissemination of information on reproductive health issues in communities was crucial in the contribution towards behaviour change amongst adolescent and the public.

She said critical government policies that relate to adolescent and children lacked depth on adolescent reproductive rights issues, adding that, a number of adolescents lacked adequate access to information on their reproductive health.

Mrs Victoria Asampong Boakye, an educationist said a large number of adolescents who represented about 30 per cent of the total population lived in circumstances that could increase their sexual and reproductive health risks.

She urged the media to use their reportage to influence behavioural change among adolescents and the public.