By Caleb Kuleke
Ho, March 6, GNA – ‘Ene Empower,’ a non-governmental organisation, has organised a one-day sensitisation workshop in the Kpandai District of the Northern Region to build the capacity of stakeholders on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and women’s empowerment.
The training formed part of the organisation’s “Improving Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and Women Empowerment in Rural Northern Ghana Project” (IASRHR-WENG Project).
With funding support from the Embassy of France in Ghana, the project seeks to improve the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and girls while enhancing livelihood security in the Kpandai District.
The workshop aimed to formally introduce the project to key stakeholders, share its implementation approach, clarify roles and responsibilities, and foster ownership and collaboration to ensure the sustainability of project activities within the beneficiary communities.
Mr Kofi Nyalimba, Executive Director of Ene Empower, explained that the workshop formed part of a broader intervention to strengthen women’s SRHR through community education, strengthening women’s self-help groups, advocacy initiatives, and enhanced stakeholder engagement.
Mr Nyalimba said the rationale for implementing the project stemmed from persistent challenges affecting women and girls in Northern Ghana, noting that child marriage remained a significant concern, with previous surveys indicating rates of approximately 39 percent in the Northern Region.
He said rural girls were vulnerable to early marriage, teenage pregnancy, and limited access to accurate SRHR information, which in turn reduced the uptake of family planning and other essential support services.
The Executive Director said the workshop provided an interactive platform for dialogue, allowing stakeholders to share experiences, identify context-specific barriers, and propose collaborative solutions.
Mr Nyalimba stated that the project would be implemented over a 12-month period and would directly benefit 100 young women and girls, while indirectly impacting at least 200 children and family members, as well as more than 2,000 individuals in the district.
He told the Ghana News Agency that the programme fostered a revitalised sense of partnership and shared responsibility among community leaders, government representatives, and civil society actors.
“With strong local ownership and coordinated action, the IASRHR-WENG Project is poised to make meaningful strides toward safeguarding the rights, health, and socio-economic well-being of women and girls in the Kpandai District,” he said.
The workshop was attended by 64 stakeholders, including chiefs, women leaders, opinion leaders, social workers, community focal persons, and members of the Compassion International Ghana Child Protection Committee from fourteen communities.
Participants reaffirmed their commitment to supporting community education efforts, strengthening referral systems, and promoting gender-responsive interventions.
Madam Rose Gbande, Girl Child Officer of the Kpandai District, welcomed the project and expressed appreciation to the French Embassy for the financial support and to Ene Empower for bringing the initiative to the district.
She encouraged all stakeholders to actively support the project within their respective communities and pledged their unwavering commitment to its successful implementation.
GNA
Edited by: Maxwell Awumah/Audrey Dekalu
