By Isaac Arkoh
Abura Dunkwa (C/R), June 21, GNA – The Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED Ghana) and the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG) have jointly signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) and launched a six-month pilot programme to promote Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) across the country.
The MoU was signed at Abura Dunkwa in the Central Region.
The SRH advocacy initiative aims to improve the health, rights and well-being of young people, particularly adolescent girls and individuals with special needs by providing better access to quality SRH information and services.
The campaign targets the youth aged 10 to 24, both in and out of school and will be implemented in a district each in three regions in the Country.
They are Bole in the Savannah Region, Sekyere East in the Ashanti Region and Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese in the Central Region.
To lead the move, 26 peer educators per district have been trained and will recruit additional peers to strengthen the SRH advocacy throughout the programme’s duration.
The launch served to formally introduce the SRH pilot programme to key stakeholders, including representatives from the media, education, health sectors, traditional and religious leaders, students, and the general public.
Attendees were briefed on the programme’s objectives, structure and implementation strategy, and were encouraged to ask questions, share ideas and provide feedback to ensure the initiative’s success and long-term sustainability.
This project is being carried out in collaboration with the Ghana Education Service (GES), Ghana Health Service (GHS), and other community partners, with technical and financial support from CAMFED Ghana and PPAG.
Speaking at the launch of the programme, Madam Fairuza Abdul-Rashid Safian, Executive Director of CAMFED Ghana, explained that the initiative was developed in response to growing evidence highlighting the challenges young people faced in making informed decisions about their reproductive health.
These challenges include limited access to accurate information, stigma and insufficient youth-friendly services.
She emphasised that girls and young women must make informed life choices relating to SRH.
This will help improve both the quality and availability of SRH services and health facilities, ensuring greater access to gender-responsive, youth-friendly, confidential and inclusive care.
Madam Safian further noted that the initiative would foster an enabling and supportive environment for SRH through strategic partnerships and collaborations, encouraging young people to make bold decisions that positively impacted their lives.
Additionally, the programme will generate valuable lessons and evidence to guide the expansion of SRH interventions within schools and communities.
Madam Abena Adubea Amoah, Executive Director of PPAG, reaffirmed her office’s commitment to providing girls with age and gender-appropriate information on sexuality and reproductive rights.
She encouraged young people, especially girls, not to feel shy, intimidated, or demeaned when seeking sexual and reproductive health information from trusted institutions and agencies.
Madam Amoah said sexuality education for adolescents was beyond just sex and classroom lessons.
She urged parents to be patient with their daughters, recognising that children have diverse qualities and behaviours that might sometimes seem challenging.
She warned that if parents did not educate their children at home, these young people might turn to friends or the internet for information, which could put their lives and well-being at risk.
Dr Juliet Otami, the Regional Director of Education, along with several officials from the Ghana Health Service, took turns to address the gathering and commended CAMFED and its partners for their strong leadership in adolescent sexual and reproductive health education across the country.
They emphasised the importance of empowering the youth, particularly girls, highlighting the positive impact it could have on their lives.
Additionally, they expressed concern over the rising incidents of drug abuse among young people, noting its detrimental effects, particularly on girls, which have contributed to increased school dropout rates.
GNA
Edited by Alice Tettey/Christian Akorlie