By Morkporkpor Anku
Accra, Sept. 18, GNA- Christian women have been urged to demonstrate their faith by protecting vulnerable children and becoming effective witnesses for Jesus Christ in their homes, workplaces, communities and other spheres of life.
Reverend Mrs Mercy Motte-Kpegla, Coordinator of the Accra Presbytery Women’s Ministry of the Global Evangelical Church, said Christian women had a responsibility to represent Christ wherever God had placed them.
Rev Mrs Motte-Kpegla was speaking at the opening of the Accra Presbytery Women’s Ministry Rally 2026 on the theme: “Christian Women Empowered to Witness for Christ and His Second Coming in Every Sphere of Life,” in Accra.
She said Christian women should not leave their faith at the church door but demonstrate it through their marriages, workplaces, businesses, schools, communities, leadership and relationships.
Rev Mrs Motte-Kpegla said the purpose of the Women’s Ministry was to help women grow in Christ, mature spiritually and become effective witnesses wherever they found themselves.
She said the Ministry had undertaken various programmes, including retreats, evangelism and outreach, leadership empowerment, health education, cancer screening, skills training, prayer and motivational programmes to promote Christian maturity and holistic growth.
She, however, emphasised that the programmes were not an end in themselves, saying an empowered Christian woman must translate her faith into action and impact society with the Gospel.
Rev Mrs Motte-Kpegla expressed concern about reports of sexual abuse, defilement, sexual harassment and the grooming of girls for illicit sexual behaviour in some schools in Ghana.
She cited a 2026 peer-reviewed study, which found that 23.9 per cent of participating children aged eight to 17 had experienced sexual abuse, while 56.8 per cent of the perpetrators were adults.
She said girls suffered disproportionately greater psychological and emotional trauma from such abuse and noted that some children never reported their experiences because they were threatened, ashamed, afraid or feared they would not be believed.
Rev Mrs Motte-Kpegla, therefore, urged women not to remain silent when children were vulnerable, saying Christian witnessing included speaking up, reporting abuse, supporting affected children and creating safe homes.
She encouraged mothers to pay attention to changes in their children’s behaviour, including withdrawal, fear of particular persons, refusal to attend school, unusual secrecy and unexplained money or gifts, which could indicate that something was wrong.
She urged parents and other adults to listen to children, ask questions and create safe spaces where they could speak freely, emphasising that children who disclosed abuse should be believed and supported.
The Coordinator also called on mothers to raise boys to understand dignity, boundaries, respect and self-control, stressing that strength and manhood should be demonstrated through responsibility rather than domination or sexual aggression.
She called for stronger child protection systems, including effective reporting mechanisms, child-sensitive investigations, psychosocial support, institutional monitoring, accountability, timely justice, prevention and sustained public education.
Rev Mrs Motte-Kpegla appealed for collaboration among schools, parents, churches, traditional authorities, law enforcement agencies, health professionals, social workers and civil society organisations to protect children and ensure that reports of abuse received appropriate attention.
She said the Women’s Ministry seek to produce women who know the Word, pray, evangelise, lead, serve, protect the vulnerable, influence society and make Christ visible through their daily lives.
GNA
Edited by Lydia Kukua Asamoah
Reporter: Morkporkpor Anku