By Philip Tengzu
Wa, March 10, GNA – ActionAid Ghana, a Non-governmental Orgnaisation, in partnership with the Upper West Regional Department of Gender, has celebrated teenage mothers in the Upper West Region to mark this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD).
About 100 teenage mothers from some communities in the Daffiama-Bussie-Issa District, Wa West District, and Wa Municipality, Heads of Department, and representatives of other partner orgnaisations, queen mothers’ association among others attended the event.
It was preceded by a float along some principal streets of Wa amidst band music with the participants wielding placards with the inscriptions: “Leave no girl behind”, “Every girl deserves education”, “Empower the teen mothers” among others.
Speaking at the event, Madam Abiba Nibaradun, the Programmes Officer of ActionAid Ghana, Wa Programme Office, said the issue of teenage pregnancy and its associated struggles had remained a serious challenge to achieving women empowerment and the much-desired gender equality.
She said her organisation was working to achieve social justice, gender equality and poverty eradication and that in line with that, the welfare of women and girls was of great priority due to the crucial importance of leaving no one behind in the national development drive.
She advised the teenage girls to draw inspiration from other successful women in society who had gone through similar challenges in life but had braced the odds to succeed.
“I want to encourage you so that you can overcome your fears and challenges. I know you are getting strong and whatever you set your mind to do, if you are determined then you can get there,” Madam Nibaradun said.
Madam Charity Batuure, the Upper West Regional Director of the Department of Gender, acknowledged the challenges teenage mothers go through and assured that her outfit and other like-minded organisations were available to support them to overcome those challenges and to achieve their life potential.
“We can only achieve total development if we ensure that everybody is moving along with us. So, falling off due to teenage pregnancy is not a reason for you to stay there.
This is the time for us to create a healthy environment for people like you who have fallen off the course to be able to rise and join us in the race so that we can all win together,” she observed.
Speaking on the theme for the IWD: “DigitAll: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality,” Madam Batuure advised the girls against using their smart phones to engage in illicit activities such as promoting nudity on social media but should use those devices for their benefit.
“There is a lot you can learn online with your phone, you can also use the phone to advertise your products online if you are into any trade like soap making,” she indicated.
Pognaa Rosemary Bangzie, the Upper West Regional Focal Person on Adolescent Health Services, commended the various Non-governmental Organisations in the region that were working towards reducing the rate of teenage pregnancy.
She said the interventions of the private sector had helped reduce the rate of teenage pregnancy in the region and encouraged the organisations to double their efforts to reduce the menace to the barest minimum if not end it completely.
The teenage mothers were also educated on how to prevent teenage pregnancy and the need for victims of teenage pregnancy to return to school after childbirth.
GNA