Department of Social Welfare empowers young girls

The Department of Social Welfare and Community Development in the Tema Metropolis has held a mentorship programme for students at the Chemu Senior High Technical School to mark International Women's Day.

The mentorship programme, which was on the theme: "Accelerate action for all women and girls; rights, equality, empowerment," was organised in partnership with Live Right Ghana, a not-for-profit organisation for female students from Chemu SHTS and Tema Methodist Day SHS.

It was aimed at empowering the young girls as part of efforts to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal five on achieving gender equality.

Participants were taken through various topics including financial literacy and entrepreneurship among other topics.

Speaking at the programme last Monday, the Tema Metropolitan Director of Education, Bernice Ofori, highlighted the importance of gender equality in the education sector, urging stakeholders to take concrete actions to bridge the existing disparities that hinder the full participation of girls in education.

Mrs Ofori said through education, the Ghana Education Service (GES) was empowering girls to embrace science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics subjects to help young girls solve real-world problems and improve their communities.

She added that the Girls Education Unit (GEU), established by the GES, was also helping to address the gender disparities in education by designing and implementing programmes to attract and retain girls in schools.

Mrs Ofori charged the participants to make good use of the opportunities created for them within the school environment, be assertive, resilient and refuse to be intimidated but rather develop a positive self-image in order to build their confidence.

Awareness

The Head of the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development for Tema Metro, Robert Mensah Gbley said the theme was more than just a call to awareness, stressing that it was a call that urged all to ensure that women and girls had equal access to education, health care, economic opportunities and leadership roles.

“As we commemorate the International Women’s Day, let us pledge to be proactive agents of change. Let us challenge outdated norms and advocate policies that foster inclusion and equity.

Together, through our collective determination and unwavering commitment, we can accelerate progress and shape a future where gender equality is not just an aspiration but a reality,” he said.

Menstrual health

The Chief Executive Officer of Live Right Ghana, Kwame Grundow, said although menstruation was a normal part of life, millions of women and girls still experience stigma, shame, and inequality because of it.

While advocating measures to dispel the stigma and taboos associated with menstruation, Mr Grundow stressed the need for legislative measures that promoted menstrual health, such as expanding access to menstruation products and advancing education about menstrual health in underserved communities and schools.

The Tema Metro Girls' Education Unit (GEU) Coordinator, Hannah K. Beccles, said empowering young girls with education, health care, equal opportunities and the right to make choices for themselves has huge benefits, and commended the organisers for offering young girls the opportunity to participate in the event.

Writer’s email: Benjamin.glover@graphic.com.gh