Traditional Leaders in Agona Swedru Pledge Support to End Child Marriage and Promote Gender Equality.

Agona Swedru: Chiefs and Queen mothers in Agona Swedru have participated in a sensitisation workshop focused on the negative effects of child marriage and the significance of adolescent reproductive health to promote gender equality. The two-day event, part of the United Nations' global initiative to end early and child marriages and all forms of Gender-Based Violence (GBV), brought together over 40 participants.According to Ghana News Agency, the workshop served as an advocacy dialogue platform, providing families and communities with opportunities to advance gender equality and create environments where adolescents, particularly girls, can thrive. Rev. Aku Xornam Adzraku-Kevi, Executive Director of Purim African Youth Development Platform (PAYDP), highlighted various forms of Gender-Based Violence, including psychological, economic, physical, and sexual abuses such as rape.Rev. Adzraku-Kevi attributed child marriage to factors like poverty, poor parental care, and societal pressures but emphasized that these should not lead to forcing young girls into early marriages due to their damaging effects. She urged parents to protect their children from Sexual and GBV in their communities through love and care.She further educated participants, especially the Queen mothers, on the importance of preventing pre-marital sex and teenage pregnancy, which hinder educational goals. She encouraged reporting any sexual abuse cases to appropriate authorities rather than concealing them.The Chiefs and Queen mothers collectively agreed that effectively implementing the project would positively impact young people's lives and reduce all forms of sexual abuses. They expressed commitment to embracing the project for the benefit of their communities.The global initiative, supported by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), aims to end child marriage and related issues through stakeholder engagement. The initiative is being rolled out in phases to achieve these goals.