Traditional and religious leaders to help eliminate child marriage

Action Aid Ghana (AAG), a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) has urged traditional and religious leaders to join the crusade to eliminate child marriage in Ghana.

The Programmes Manager of AAG, Mr James Kusi Boama, who made the call in Bolgatanga during the Girls Camp programme organized by his outfit on the theme:” Girls Camp: Celebrating Girl Empowerment for Leadership,” regretted that child marriage had forced many girls out of school.

The Programme Manager, who cited a survey conducted by the Women in Law and Development in 2014 said Ghana was branded as one the countries which had recorded the high incidence of child marriage.

He noted that the most affected regions was the Upper East Region, followed by Upper West and the Greater-Accra Regions.

The Programme Manager stated that the practice did not only hinder the education of the girl-child, but it was also against their fundamental human rights since they were forced against their will into marriage.

He, therefore, impressed upon all stakeholders, particularly the traditional, religious and political leaders, to help eliminate the social canker to enable the girls complete their education.

He noted that as part of efforts to help address issues affecting the girl-child, AAG for the past 25 years in its operations in Ghana, had been promoting quality education by ensuring the enrollment, retention and completion of school by the girl –child.

He said the AAG, had since 2009 made the girl camp an annual practice, and about 820 girls had so far benefited from it.

He disclosed that an external assessment of the Girls Camp programme revealed that unlike before, many parents were willing to support their daughters’ education and more girls had the desire to stay and complete school.

“There is also the visibility impact in relation to girls’ career choice, readiness to participate in leadership activities, increase focus on academic work and willingness to ward off forced and child marriages”, he stressed.

In a speech read for him, the Regional Director of Education, Mr Emmanuel Zumakpeh, lauded the efforts of AAG, and said their support over the years had contributed positively to education delivery in the region.