By Gilbert Azeem Tiroog
Bolgatanga, Nov.19, GNA – Mr James Twene, the Upper East Regional Director of the Department of Gender, says the intervention by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on gender-based violence has helped to curb the menace in the region.
He said the sensitisation of stakeholders had encouraged victims to report to the appropriate authorities whenever their rights were violated.
The Ghana Health Service, Ghana Education Service, and Legal Aid, among others, had helped to sensitise the people on the impact of violence on women and girls.
Mr Twene said this at the third quarter review meeting on the essential services package (ESP) for service providers on sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) organised by the Department of Gender in Bolgatanga.
The ESP for women and girls is a global guidance supporting systems for nations to respond to gender-based violence across four key sectors; Health, Social Services, Justice and Police.
The event also aimed at sourcing funding support from the UNFPA.
Mr Gilbert Agulu, a Principal Nursing Officer, Upper East Regional Health Directorate, said though teenage pregnancy in the region had not reduced as much as expected, there were some successes.
The number of pregnant girls tracked on the safety net had increased from 1,334 in 2021 to 1,556 in 2022 and that was as a result of the awareness creation on the need to seek antenatal care at health facilities when pregnant.
Ms Rose Akanson, the Regional Girl-Child Education Officer, Ghana Education Service, noted that the lifestyle clubs formed in schools were making positive impacts on both boys and girls, which had reduced stigmatisation and encouraged girls who got pregnant and dropped out of school to re-enroll.
Mr Hamidu Mohammed Aminu, the Programme Head of Community Care, Gender and Social Welfare, said it handled 70 cases of gender violence out of which 56 were continued cases and 14 new ones.
He said the Unit faced problems of enforcing directives on some defaulters due to economic challenges and called for support from the government and stakeholders to strengthen its mandate.
GNA