By Benjamin Adamafio Commey, GNA
Accra, March 8, GNA — To mark the International Women’s Day on Friday, the Alliance for Reproductive Health Rights (ARHR), provided some girls in the Ashiedu Keteke Sub-Metro with the requisite skills for protecting their rights and dealing with abusers.
More than 20 participants, between the ages of 12 and 19, were also educated on their sexual and reproductive rights to be able to prevent unwanted pregnancies and plan for healthy family sizes to enjoy quality lives.
The programme was held under the main theme: ‘BalanceforBetter’, the national theme, with the sub theme: Equipping Girls to succeed’.
Mr. Francis Oko Armah, a Programmes Lead at the Young Leaders for Change Foundation, in an interview with journalists, said when girls were empowered, they would be able to stand up against any form of abuse.
This, he said, would also enable them to distinguish compliments from sexual harassment.
Mr. Armah urged the society to desist from acts that tended to perpetuate the culture of silence.
He said the informal justice system often favoured abusers because the families of victims preferred to keep silent to prevent stigmatisation and ridicule, to the detriment of the victims.
He, therefore, urged the courts to deal appropriately with anyone found guilty of violating the rights of girls.
Madam Rachel Karikari, Research and Communications Officer of ARHR, also urged the girls to be confident and aspire to achieve their dreams, as well as champion the liberation of other young girls in their communities.
“This peer education scheme allows the young girls to educate themselves, empower themselves and then educate their sisters because that is the only way we can proliferate health education across Ghana”.
Miss Noami Amoako, a participant, said the training had encouraged her to build her confidence, which would enable her to cope with any situation she found herself.
Miss Margaret Affutu, another participant, also said she now understood that compliments could be paid without a physical touch.
She expressed her resolve to help other females within her community to stand up against abusers.
GNA
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