By Solomon Gumah
Tamale, Nov. 28, GNA – A day’s seminar has been held in Tamale, to equip young girls with the necessary information and techniques, to speak up on their rights and advocate for their rights.
The participants, who included student leaders from selected Senior High Schools in the Northern Region, were empowered to use their spheres of influence to champion issues of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV).
The event dubbed: “SHE SPEAKS-UP,” was organised by Simba Ghana, an NGO committed to youth empowerment, governance and peacebuilding, in partnership with Songtaba, Tiyumba Hope Foundation, RUWA-Ghana and Inspire to Act.
It was on the theme: “Breaking the Silence: Empowering Girls Against SGBV.”
Mr Abdul-Mumin Abdul-Rahaman, the Executive Director of Simba Ghana told the participants that the forum seeks to empower them with stronger voices to enable them to speak up against issues of SGBV, for effective redress and awareness creation.
To promote the transformative agenda of equality and efficient society, he advised both boys and girls to be bold to speak up, to defeat the status quo where only boys spoke up on issues of injustice and abuse.
Alhaji Imoro Abdul-Rashid, the Executive Director of Inspire to Act, who spoke on how to identify and respond to issues of SGBV, said most of the perpetrators were usually known family friends or relatives.
He encouraged victims of abuse to report such cases immediately to their parents, guardians and the security services, for protection from the perpetrators.
Ms Ophelia Azure, a clinical psychologist advised participants to support survivors of SGBV and not to expose them to public ridicule.
Ms Khadija Abdul-Sammed, the Board Chairperson of Simba Ghana, called on the government and other stakeholders to prioritise efforts to address SGBV.
GNA