Ghana today (April 15, 2014) called on the United Nations to strengthen Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Interventions for Young People under the Post 2015 Development Agenda and in particular to listen to the voices of our young people on their sexual and reproductive health experiences.

This is to correct the worldwide problem where approximately 16 million girls between the ages of 15 and 19 give birth each year; one million die or suffer serious injury or disease as a result of pregnancy; and millions more face discrimination in their communities, are forced to drop out of school, or face social isolation as a result of unplanned or unintended pregnancy.

Stating Ghana's position at a side event at the on-going 48th Commission on Population and Development at the United Nations Headquarters, New York, the Minister of State in charge of Social and Allied Agencies, Office of the President, Mrs. Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe-Ghansah argued strongly that empowering girls and young women with appropriate information and access and use of contraception should be seen as a global public health priority.

Pointing out that globally, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) have been, to a large extent, successful in prioritising issues aimed to reducing poverty and transform lives, she noted that increasing access to SRHR; "will clear the multiple barriers the youth face in accessing contraceptives including lack of information about contraceptives, myths related to side effects, social stigma, and lack of confidentiality and policy restrictions".

In Ghana, actions have been taken to ensure that young people are included in conversations and policy development in issues that affect them, Mrs. Comfort D. Cudjoe-Ghansah stated.

In addition, she said efforts are being made to improve knowledge gaps and misconceptions about contraception and their side effects and also to provide opportunities to young people to ask questions and discuss their SRH concerns in safe environments.

To this end, "the Government of Ghana, through the Ministry of Health has intensified plans at ensuring that health facilities across the country are equipped with Youth Friendly Centers where young people can visit and access information and services on SRHR.

"The Government is also partnering with Civil Society Organisations to provide information; counselling and services to young people to enable them to make informed choices about their sexuality.

Contributing, the South African Minister for Social Development, Mrs. Bathabile Dlamini said no young person should be left out in the discussion of young people s rights.

She also insisted that African countries must provide more opportunities for Africans to ensure economic growth.

Joan Koomson, representative of the African Women's Development Fund tasked African governments not only to ratify policies but to ensure that such policies are domesticated and workable for their people.

A representative of the Ghanaian youth, Edith Asamani of the Curious Minds, a youth advocacy group said although youth friendly services had been set up in all the districts in Ghana, those manning such centres needed to step up their businesses to make it easy for the youth to always approach them and discuss their problems and concerns.

Mr. Charles Banda from Malawi said his government was now taking various measures to stop the practice of child marriages and also prevent all harmful cultural practices.

Various contributors from Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria, Belgium, United States of America, Egypt, Australia, among others spoke in favour of giving young people a voice in their sexual and health reproduction and to make it part of the development goals in 2015.