By Angela Ayimbire
Tema, Oct. 12, GNA-Bring back girl-child issues on the front pages, “Girls with Purpose Foundation” a non-government organisation, has charged governments and policymakers.
As the foundation joined the global community to mark the 2022 International Day of the Girl Child, Mrs. Ramat Ebella Ellis, Chief Executive Officer of the “Girls with Purpose Foundation,” has noted, that “the global community must go beyond the annual celebration and take concrete steps towards protecting the girl-child.
“The girl-child globally continues to suffer discrimination, sexual exploitation, abuse, unfavourable conditions at the home and at school, and other social vices which inhibit the development and transition to adulthood.”
Mrs. Ellis who is also an investment banker told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Tema, in an interview, that investment in girls’ rights remained limited as they continued to confront a myriad of challenges to fulfilling their potential.
“It is unacceptable in the 21st Century for the girl-child to suffer inhuman treatment just because of their gender, the world must do more to protect the right of the girl-child, we must collectively fight against stereotypes and cultural practices that draw us backward,” Mrs. Ellis stated.
Speaking on the 2022 International Day of Girl Child theme: “Our Time is Now-Our Rights, Our Future,” Mrs. Ellis said the girl child needs an enabling environment to grow, taking into consideration the peculiar nature of the sexes.
Mrs. Ellis called for policies and legislation to ensure that the girl child’s education is not truncated for early marriage, stressing regrettably that global statistic indicates that 10 million girls are at risk of child marriage.
She said in most global jurisprudence child marriage is a criminal offense but unfortunately “we have failed to enforce the laws to deter families from engaging in such activities in 2022 it is the time for the girl child to enjoy their rights”.
“The girl child’s education must also not be sacrificed for the boy child, in case of financial difficulties of the family, both the girl and boy child are equally important none is superhuman,” she said.
In Ghana, some traditions discriminate against the gild-child which starts from the day she is born, “as in some instances when a man whose wife just delivered is asked what she delivered…human being…if she delivered a boy child the respond is she has delivered human being.
“It is widely believed that a girl will not carry her family legacy. Similarly, a girl-child must cook and do all household chores, which deprives her of the time to study and affects their academic performance,” she said.
Mrs. Ellis noted it is time to change the narratives about the girl child, “let us give all our children equal opportunities, let establishment consider the needs of girl child and womanhood.”
She also called on the girl child to brace for the storm and face the difficult terrene until the last battle for the liberation of the girl child is won.
GNA