Accra: The Center for Opportunities and Rural Development (CORD Ghana), a non-governmental organization operating in Northern Ghana has launched an initiative targeted at breaking the silence around Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and improving access to essential services.
According to Ghana News Agency, the initiative, dubbed ‘Empowering Voices to Promote Social Cohesion and Strengthening SRHR,’ is being implemented in the Upper West, North East, Northern, and Savannah Regions. It seeks to empower individuals, particularly women, adolescents, and marginalized groups, to make informed choices about their health and future. The initiative is expected to contribute to reducing stigma, strengthening community cohesion, and advancing gender equality.
As part of the initiative, CORD Ghana has already engaged communities including Zupiri, Kulinkpegu, and Pong Tamale, with plans to extend coverage to all target project communities by the close of 2025. Madam Esther Nyamekye Opoku, Programmes Director at CORD Ghana, told the Ghana News Agency that the initiative was designed to tackle deeply rooted cultural and systemic barriers that limit access to SRHR services, including inadequate health facilities, harmful traditional practices, and restrictive social norms.
She stated: ‘Breaking the silence on sexual and reproductive health is not only about access to services, but also about affirming the right of every individual to make choices about their body, their health, and their future. This project is about amplifying voices that have long been ignored.’ She indicated that CORD Ghana’s approach in implementing the initiative would include community sensitization, capacity building for local leaders, and advocacy for stronger health systems and inclusive policies.
‘This particular initiative also promotes open dialogue on sensitive issues such as contraception, early pregnancy, menstrual health and safe abortion, while encouraging respect for the rights of vulnerable populations including persons with disabilities,’ she added. Madam Esther Nyamekye Opoku expressed concern that despite global and national commitments such as the Sustainable Development Goals, the Maputo Protocol, and Ghana’s Adolescent Health and Development Programme, many communities, especially in rural areas, continue to face challenges such as stigma, misinformation, and lack of youth-friendly services.
She urged community leaders and other stakeholders to embrace the initiative, saying it has the potential to create safe spaces for young people and women to voice their concerns, demand accountability, and contribute to building healthier and more inclusive communities.