Bolgatanga: The Female Empowerment Initiative (FEEM), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has intensified advocacy efforts to end teenage pregnancy, child marriage, and school dropouts among girls in the Upper East Region. The organisation noted that the prevalence of teenage pregnancy and early marriage in many communities in the region were worrisome and continued to hinder efforts to promote girl-child education and gender equality.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mrs Dencian Ghanaab, Field Officer of FEEM, speaking in Bolgatanga as part of activities to mark this year's International Day of the Girl Child, emphasized that the situation, if not addressed, would continue to affect the development prospects of many young girls. The event brought together basic school children within the Bolgatanga Municipality who were taken through the effects of teenage pregnancy, child marriage, and school dropouts.
As part of efforts to enhance menstrual hygiene, the organisation supported the school girls with sanitary pads. Mrs Ghanaab, who spoke on behalf of Ms Ernestina Mambono Nyaaba, Founder and Executive Director of FEEM, said the organisation was determined to contribute significantly to addressing the challenges in Ghana and beyond.
According to the Field Officer, FEEM had rolled out a series of community and school sensitisation campaigns in collaboration with the Ghana Education Service (GES) and other stakeholders in the region targeting both in-school and out-of-school children. She said the campaigns aimed to educate parents, guardians, and young people on the dangers associated with teenage pregnancy and child marriage, while promoting the value of keeping girls in school and encouraging girls to avoid risky sexual behaviours.
Mrs Ghanaab believed that empowering girls through education remained one of the most effective ways to break the cycle of poverty and dependence in rural communities. "We have realised that many girls who drop out of school due to early pregnancy or marriage lose their chance of becoming economically independent. Our goal is to ensure that every girl is supported to remain in school and fulfil her potential," she stated.
Mrs Bridget Adongo Akasise, a Gender Advocate, advised the school children to focus on their studies and avoid behaviours that had the potential to destroy their lives. She urged parents to be responsible for the needs of their children to prevent them from falling prey to deceitful individuals.
Madam Priscal Lisa Tanbesgr, the Bolgatanga Girl Child Officer, Ghana Education Service, advised the adolescent girls to report any form of harassment to appropriate authorities for redress to ensure they were not taken advantage of sexually. Madam Gladys Abegwonnya, a Midwife at the Bongo District Hospital, advised the adolescent girls that their bodies were not mature to carry babies and urged them to avoid unprotected sex.
