Bolgatanga: The Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE)-Ghana has taken significant steps to combat teenage pregnancies by training journalists in the Upper East Region to focus on Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (ASRHR) reporting. This initiative aims to bolster awareness and address gender inequalities through informed media coverage.
According to Ghana News Agency, the three-day workshop in Bolgatanga was part of the SHARE Project and involved 19 media practitioners. The event aimed to enhance their knowledge and capacity to effectively report on reproductive health issues. The SHARE Project is a collaborative effort led by Right To Play, with FAWE-Ghana as the advocacy arm, WaterAid providing health-related services, and FHI 360 offering technical consultancy, all funded by Global Affairs Canada.
Mr. Elikem Katsekpor, Project Officer for the SHARE Project, emphasized the importance of media partnerships in amplifying advocacy and ensuring sustained progress in adolescent health. He stated, 'As organizations, we can only achieve long-lasting results if journalists are empowered to report on sexual and reproductive health and rights issues. The media serve as watchdogs to ensure the gains made in communities are sustained.'
FAWE has already engaged various community stakeholders in reproductive health, gender equality, and harmful traditional practices training sessions. Mr. Katsekpor highlighted ongoing community dialogues in 78 electoral areas to identify knowledge gaps and propose practical solutions. However, he expressed concern about the increasing misuse of emergency contraceptives by adolescents, warning of potential long-term health repercussions.
Mr. David Kwesi Ghartey Tagoe, a lead facilitator at the workshop, underscored the influential role of journalists as advocates for ASRHR. He remarked, 'Journalists are very powerful. The stories you tell influence society. When you report consistently on reproductive health and gender issues, duty bearers and policymakers will sit up and act.' He further noted that political discourse in Ghana often overshadows critical social issues such as adolescent health, urging journalists to prioritize reproductive health in their reporting.
This training is part of FAWE Ghana's extensive advocacy efforts to provide young people in Bongo and Kassena Nankana West Districts, as well as the Kassena Nankana and Builsa North Municipalities, with accurate information for informed health and wellbeing decisions.
