Atwima Nwabiagya North District CELEBRATE International Day for Girl Child
This year’s, themed, “Girlforce: Unscripted and Unstoppable” praised achievements by, with and for girls since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.
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The Atwima Nwabiagya North District was actively involved in the celebration of the Girl Child yesterday, October 11, 2019 at Atwima Akropong.
October 11, since 2012 has been endorsed by the United Nations (UN) as the International Day for Girl Child with the aim to highlight and address the needs and challenges girls face whiles encouraging girls’ empowerment and the fulfilment of their human right.
This year’s, themed, “Girlforce: Unscripted and Unstoppable” praised achievements by, with and for girls since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.
Nearly 25 years ago, some 30,000 women and men from nearly 200 countries arrived in Beijing, China for the Fourth World Conference on Women, determined to recognize the rights of women and girls as human rights. The conference culminated in the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action- the most comprehensive policy agenda for the empowerment of women.
In the years following, women pressed the agenda forward, leading global movements on issues ranging from sexual and reproductive health rights to equal pay. It enabled more girls to attend and complete school with fewer getting married or becoming mothers while children and more are gaining the skills they need to excel in the future world of work.
Thousands of girls in the various Primary and Junior High Schools in the District converged at the Osei Tutu Senior High School chapel to celebrate the occasion under the auspices of the Ghana Education Service of Girl Child. The hall displayed inscriptions like “I want to be in school not market,” “I am a girl child, don't make me a child mother,” “Help stop child labor,” “Send your Girl Child to School,” “Sexual Assault is a crime” and many others.
Nana Agnes Opoku Domfeh, Ashanti Regional Director of Girl Child narrated how women played a restricted role in every aspect of life - a challenge that undermined the worth of women and girls in the religious, education and other sectors too precious for the involvement of the woman. She revealed that the vulnerability of females in the society brought about the fight for women empowerment, making females a core part in country administration.
She explained that the country could boast of better women in the various arms of government when the young are educated on the significance of their gender and their challenges addressed hence the instalment of Girls’ Education Unit in the various District.
“The Girls Education Unit has indeed come of use. Gone are the days where women were deprived of important positions in the various work places. It’s different today. We see women playing decent roles in the Education, government and other sectors. Indeed, the fight for empowerment in Beijing has come of utmost benefit for us,” she said.
“It is the duty of the Girls’ Education Unit to see to it that girls who are involved in teenage pregnancy continue their education after child birth.
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She encouraged young girls to stay glued to their books and avoid teenage pregnancy and been ensnared in drug abuse. Concerning the Girl Child Unit in organizing activities to uncover the talent and skills of the young females, the District Director urged companies to come to their aid to fulfil their planned activities for the girls.
“We are pleading to the various NGO’s and philanthropists to come to our aid. We need their services to make our activities known,” she added.
Mrs. Charity Frimpong Donkor, the Girl Child Coordinator for Atwima Nwabiagya North uttered that Girls in the District were prone to teenage pregnancy due to poor parenting as a result of poverty. She revealed that some of the girls were 'inducing figures' employed by parents to lure men for money.
“I was invited by a coordinator to a school sometime ago. I was surprise to see more than 15 young women pregnant. I consulted them personally and through my interview, I got to know that the girls struggle before making ends meet whiles others were used by parents to fulfill their selfish ambitions in the name of sex for money,” she said.
She attested that 50% of last year’s population has been reduced due to the impact of the Girls’ Education Unit. An advice was poured unto parents to be responsive in the welfare of their girls to make Ghana a better place to live.
“Ghana can only quit seeking for alms from developed countries and walk out of poverty only if we pay attention to the well-being of young girls.”
The young women expressed great delight for the opportunity and wished for more programs in the coming days.
