Teenage pregnancies rise in Adaklu from 109 to 120 in one year

The rising number of teenage pregnancies in Adaklu has been linked to gaps in parent-child communication, parental neglect and poverty, with child protection advocates calling for stronger family support and open discussions between parents and adolescents on sensitive issues.

Data from the Adaklu Health Directorate show that 109 teenage pregnancies were recorded in 2024, representing 10.3 per cent of teenage pregnancies reported during the period. Three of the cases involved girls aged between 10 and 14, while 106 were between 15 and 19 years.

In 2025, the number increased to 120, representing 11.2 per cent. Four girls aged between 10 and 14 were recorded among the cases, while 116 were aged between 15 and 19.

The figures have renewed concerns about the vulnerability of adolescents in the district, despite efforts by health authorities and community organisations to improve reproductive health education and child protection.

According to a 2021 baseline study conducted by the International Development Research Centre in Adaklu, poor communication between adolescents and their parents or caregivers about sexual issues was a major factor associated with teenage pregnancy. Parental neglect and peer pressure were also identified as contributing factors.

The study found that 87.5 per cent of teenagers surveyed had never discussed sexual issues with their fathers, while only 12.5 per cent had such discussions with their mothers.

Against this background, Friends of Adaklu, in partnership with SOS Children’s Villages under the Norway-funded NORAD project, is working with communities in Adaklu to strengthen parental care and protect children at risk of losing parental care.

The Child Protection Officer on the project, Roberta Donkor, said poverty was one of the major challenges affecting caregivers, as some parents lacked the resources to provide their children with basic necessities and keep them in school.

She made the remarks during activities organised to commemorate the 2026 Children’s Day celebration.

She said the event was designed to provide a safe space for children to speak about challenges they were unable to discuss with their parents.

As part of the activities, children were grouped according to their classes and given a safe environment to share their concerns. A confidential box was also provided for children who were uncomfortable speaking openly.

Other activities, including football, musical chairs and sack races, created a relaxed environment where the children could feel comfortable and discuss challenges affecting them.

The children also took part in a procession through the town, carrying placards with advocacy messages urging parents not to neglect their children, but to raise them with love and listen to their concerns.

Donkor said the project also provided soft grants ranging from GH¢2,000 to GH¢10,000 to help caregivers establish or expand businesses and improve their capacity to care for their children.

She said the intervention focused mainly on improving communication between parents and children, particularly because some caregivers did not spend enough time with their children or know what was happening in their lives.

She added that parents were being encouraged to be patient, listen to their children and correct them through love rather than violence.

The project has also established community-based child protection committees in Adaklu Homenu, Adaklu Goefe, Adaklu Vodze and Adaklu Waya.

Members of the committees have been trained to identify and refer cases involving abuse, violence and neglect to the appropriate authorities, including Social Welfare and the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU).

A teenager in the community expressed concern about some parents encouraging their daughters to enter relationships with men while also subjecting them to harsh physical punishment.

She said education provided by Friends of Adaklu on better ways of raising and communicating with children had led some parents to change their behaviour, although others had yet to do so.

A member of the Community Child Protection Committee, Nathanael Amebley, said the intervention had contributed to changes in the behaviour of some parents who previously maltreated or neglected their children.

He said some children had previously been thrown out of their homes and left to sleep with friends, but the situation was gradually improving through community education and support.

A beneficiary, Perfect Nyabade, said the programme had taught parents to raise their children with love rather than through physical punishment.

She admitted that she previously used a cane to discipline her children but had stopped after receiving education from Friends of Adaklu, although she acknowledged that some parents still used corporal punishment.

Source: Desmond Tinana, Contributor
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