By Michael Foli Jackidy, GNA
Dadoboe (V/R), Oct. 1, GNA – Dr Emmily Naphambo, Deputy Representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), has urged parents to ensure that adolescent girls remain in school and are protected from all forms of violence.
She said the challenges confronting adolescent girls were multifaceted and required concerted efforts from parents, communities, institutions and development partners.
Dr Naphambo made the call when the Adolescent Girls Programme (AGP) Steering Committee engaged parents in Dadoboe in the Central Tongu District who benefited from the Gender Responsive Empowerment Programme (Great Model Households).
The engagement was aimed at strengthening the capacity of parents in modelled households to support adolescent girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services and create supportive family environments.
Dr Naphambo said there were three key outcomes that would bring satisfaction to UNFPA, UNICEF and their donors, while contributing to Ghana’s development aspirations.
“Parents, you must ensure that the girls remain in school. The second one is that you must ensure that our adolescents and children are protected from any form of violence,” she said.
She said parents must also raise their children to become better than themselves, stressing that the commitment was central to the programme.
Dr Kennedy Brightson, the Director of Family Health and Technical Adviser on Health at the Office of the Vice President, commended participating households for what he described as positive transformation, particularly improvements in relationships between fathers and daughters.
He said some traditional approaches to disciplining children, particularly girls, could create fear and distance between parents and their children, exposing the girls to negative influences outside the home.
Dr Brightson said improved communication and understanding between fathers and daughters could help prevent circumstances that might lead to teenage pregnancy and school dropout.
He also stressed the importance of healthy relationships between husbands and wives, saying a harmonious home provided a better environment for children to grow.
“If the relationship between mother and father is good, then you are better than the children,” he said, comparing a healthy family relationship to watering pepper plants, where the results become visible over time.
Togbe Akliku Ahorney II, the Dufia of Mafi Dadoboe, said the community had benefited significantly from UNFPA interventions since 2023, particularly through training and capacity-building programmes.
He said the training had also inspired the community to establish a nursery or crèche for young children to promote early socialisation while allowing parents to engage in farming and other economic activities.
Togbe Ahorney called for the household training programme to be extended to more families in the district, suggesting that beneficiaries could serve as resource persons to share their knowledge and experience with other parents.
He, however, noted that some challenges and undesirable behaviours persisted despite the interventions, and called for sustained education and community engagement.
The Dufia urged parents to set aside excessive pride and adopt open communication with their children, stressing the need to listen to them while providing appropriate guidance.
He also encouraged children to listen to their parents and teachers, saying the success of the interventions depended on the willingness of young people to embrace the knowledge and guidance provided.
Some beneficiaries shared their experiences, saying the training had helped them improve communication, strengthen relationships, and maintain more supportive household environments.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah/ Christabel Addo