By Benard Worlali Awumee
Tegbi, (V/R), June 12, GNA, The Department of Gender in the Volta Region, in collaboration with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection and with support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), has successfully organised a two-day adolescent empowerment Bootcamp in the Keta and Anloga Municipalities.
The initiative, held on Monday, June 9 and Wednesday, June 11, 2025, targeted young boys and girls across the Keta and Anloga districts to promote gender equality, adolescent development, reproductive health education, and positive masculinity.
The bootcamp is a follow-up to an earlier capacity-building session held in 2024, where 20 community facilitators, including students as peer educators, were trained to lead discussions on gender-related issues in their respective communities.
More than 120 pupils from the basic schools in the beneficiary communities, including students from the Keta Senior High Technical School, participated in the boot camp.
These facilitators are now playing an active role in engaging young people on pressing social concerns.
The first session of the bootcamp took place at the Keta Roman Catholic School premises, where participants were taken through interactive sessions on personal health care, bodily protection, and awareness of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).
Madam Thywill Eyra Ekpe, Volta Regional Director for the Department of Gender, discussed the importance of empowering adolescents with the right information to navigate the challenges of adolescence.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Madam Thywill said, “Early marriage, teenage pregnancy, and gender-based violence continue to hinder the potential of young people, especially girls. We are encouraging them to make informed decisions about their bodies and futures regardless of their background or situation.”
Madam Margaret Dovlo, a public health nurse at the Keta Municipal Hospital, took participants through critical topics, including adolescent reproductive health and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
She urged them to prioritise their health and seek medical attention early when there were signs of infection.
A parallel session was also held at the Tegbi Roman Catholic Church in the Anloga District, where similar themes were addressed.
The sessions offered safe spaces for participants to share experiences, ask questions, and receive practical guidance from trained professionals.
Chief Inspector Geoffrey Kumedzro from the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Keta Divisional Police Command, who led a session on gender-based violence, focusing on rape, defilement, and domestic abuse explained how the legal implications of such offences and educated the youth on how to report abuse and seek protection.
“Understanding your rights and knowing where to report violations is a powerful tool. The police and social support services are here to protect you. You should not be afraid to report such activities to the nearest law enforcement agency or a trusted elderly person,” Mr Kumedzro said.
Students and pupils who participated expressed appreciation for the initiative, describing the sessions as timely and life changing. Many of them pledged to share the knowledge gained with their peers and families.
The Bootcamp is part of a broader nationwide effort to engage men and boys in the fight for gender equality while providing young people with tools to build safe, healthy, and empowered lives.
Madam Kpe and other stakeholders expressed hope that the impact of the training would ripple across the communities and contribute to long-term social transformation.
GNA
Edited by: Maxwell Awumah/Christian Akorlie