Plan International Ghana has commemorated the 2023 International Day of the Girl child (IDG) with key stakeholders and adolescent girls at Jasikan in the Oti Region. The programme held under the theme: ‘Girls’ Activism, Accountability and Resourcing’ and sponsored by NIVEA was attended by Chiefs, Queenmothers, Assembly members, NCCE, CHRAJ, GES, GHS, DOVVSU, Department of Social Welfare and Community Development, Jasikan Municipal Assembly officials, among others. Mr. Solomon TesfaMariam, Country Director, Plan International Ghana, in a statement, said the Day was a significant global event commemorated annually on 11th October to recognise girls’ rights and the unique challenges girls face around the world. He said IDG focused attention on the need to address the challenges girls face and to promote girls’ empowerment and the fulfillment. Mr. TesfaMariam said this global event was a significant milestone marked by Plan International across the world in view of the fact that Plan International had a purpose of ‘striving for a just world that advances the rights of children and promotes equality for girls.’ The Country Director said the implementation of the ‘Be Smart, Learn and Stay Protected project’ in 20 communities across the Jasikan Municipality, Akuapem North Municipality and Manya Krobo District in its first phase (2021-2023) contributed significantly to an improved capacity of adolescent girls exercising their rights to education and protection from sexual and gender-based violence. He said Be Smart phase II (2023-2025) project would ‘however, seeks to ensure that knowledge gained from the phase I is put to practice in the interest of protecting girls and young people.’ Mr. TesfaMariam said focusing on ‘Girls and pursuing the ambition of All Girls Standing Strong and Creating Global Change’ would create a forum for dialogue between girls and duty bearers over the challenges that confront the girls and prompt action taken. He said the recently published State of the World Girls’ Report, 2023 by Plan International indicated the barriers to Girls Activisms as lack of funding, lack of confidence, fears for their safety, age and gender discrimination, shrinking civic space, repressive laws and traditions as well as institutional bureaucracies. The Country Director said the intervention and the forum was timely as it would open-up space for girls to voice out the challenges that confront them and thus, urged everyone to participate and allowed the girls the freedom to speak so that they could collectively support them to overcome their challenges and realise their full potentials. Mr. Sulemana Hor Gbana, the Manager, Southern Programme Influencing and Impact Area of Plan International Ghana, said the stakeholder engagement would help fill the gaps in children rights issues and that the girls must grow up in protected environment. He charged the participants to help sustain the gains made through the Be Smart project else ‘posterity will judge us all’. Mrs. Elizabeth Kessiwaa Anim-Adjanor, the Jasikan Municipal Chief Executive, advised parents to invest in their children, especially the girl-child’s education for better tomorrow. She appealed to Chiefs not to sit on rape, defilement, and incest cases as they are criminal matters that the Police and the Court are supposed to handle. Mrs. Anim-Adjanor also advised the girls to abstain from sex as it would ruin their future. Mr. Mathias Komla Bassayi, Assemblyman for Nsuta West Electoral Area, asked parents to monitor what their children watch on TV and internet so as not to be exposed to pornographic materials and other online threats. Officials from DOVVSU, GHS, GES and the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development responded to questions thrown to them by Adolescent Girls during the discussion of challenges facing adolescent girls in the Jasikan Municipality. On December 19, 2011, United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 66/170 to declare October 11 as the International Day of the Girl-Child, to recognise girls’ rights and the unique challenges girls face around the world.

Source: Ghana News Agency