Awutu Bereku (C/R), Oct 12, GNA – Mr. Richard Boadu, Manager of the Central Plan Unit (CPU)of Plan International-Ghana, has stated that there was an urgent need for a call to action to stop the abuse and harassment of young women and girls.
“Let us join hands in signing the open letter written by girls around the world to most influential social media providers calling on them to put in place mechanisms to effectively check on harassment and abuse of girls and young women”.
Mr Boadu made call on behalf of the Country Director of Plan International-Ghana at a forum the Unit organized for the Executive Committee members of Awutu-Senya District Assembly.
It was held in collaboration with Children’s Parliament in the Area to commemorate the 2020 International Day of the Girl at Awutu Bereku, on the theme “Freedom for girls to be online”
Plan is an international humanitarian, child centered, community development, non-governmental organization, without religious and political affiliations.
It also focuses on child sponsorship in basic foundation, with its purpose statement as, “We strive for a just world that advances children’s right and equality for girls”.
Mr Boadu stated that on December 19, 2011, United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution 66/170 to declare October 11 each year as “the International Day of the Girl Child” and it has since 2012 been observed globally.
He said among prominent reasons for the celebration was the promotion of girls’ rights, highlights on gender inequalities that remain between girls and boys and to address various forms of discrimination and abuse suffered by girls around the world.
Since the adoption of the resolution, Plan International has been conducting research on the status of girls in the World and this year, the focus was on the “Freedom to be online” which tries to explore the abuses and harassment girls and young women go through in their attempt to use the social media, he stated.
As part of the research, Plan International spoke to 14,000 girls in 22 countries around the globe and with regard more than half of them revealed that they were harassed and abused on social media, physically threatened, sexually harassed, body shamed and racially abused and it got worse when they raised their voices and shared their opinions.
“In Ghana, 39 percent of the 500 girls and young women interviewed have experienced some form of online harassment on social media platforms.”
Notwithstanding, girls, in their diversity, needed to know that when they were abused and threatened online they should be bold to report it for action to be taken and perpetrators punished, he advised.
Mr Boadu, stated that some key factors in their findings were that abuse and harassment were the ever largest violence girls go through online and the survey showed that one in five-girls (19%) have left or significantly reduced usage of a social media platform after being harassed, while one in 10 of them representing 12 percent changed the way they expressed themselves.
Girls and young women globally are demanding urgent action from social media companies, when the landmark survey revealed that 58 percent of girls were harassed or abused online, either on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Snapchat, Twitter and Tik Tok, he added.
In a statement issued by the Children Parliament after proceedings, called on the Awutu-Senya District Assembly and the government to put in place workable policies and laws to address issues affecting the proper development of children, particularly girls.
They also appealed for electronic devices such as Lap-tops and SmartPhones with affordable bundles, while they stayed at home, to access the internet for e-learning.
Nai Ncharkel Okine VII, Adontenhene of Awutu Traditional Area who chaired the event commended Plan International-Ghana for its continued support in the proper education of children in the area.
He urged the youth to concentrate on their education, particularly in Information, Communication and Technology skills to be able to compete globally.
He also added his voice to the call to end harassment and abuse against young women and girls in the society and expressed the need for security agencies to work harder by enforcing laws and regulations that protect the welfare of children.
GNA