Ministry dialogues with chiefs, religious leaders
A high-level dialogue has been held for traditional and religious leaders to solicit their support in the effort to reduce vulnerabilities and stigmatisation of obstetric fistula, early marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM).
Advertisement
The advocacy dialogue, organised by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, brought together about 20 paramount chiefs from across the country, as well as religious leaders.
The event, which was supported by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), was also to sensitise the traditional and religious leaders to how to protect and promote the legal and reproductive health rights of females.
Fistula cases
Delivering her address, the sector Minister, Nana Oye Lithur, expressed worry over the increasing trend of obstetric fistula.
“Women who have obstetric fistula often lose the dignity of womanhood and are ostracised and abandoned by society,” she said.
According to her, from November 2013 to April this year, 98 fistula cases recorded locally had been repaired by the ministry, with support from the ECOWAS Gender Development Centre (EGDC).
Child marriage & FGM
On the issue of child marriage, the minister pointed out that early child marriage was one big issue affecting girls in the country, emphasising that according to the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2011, about one in four women was married before age 18.
On FGM, she said in spite of the fact that Article 39 of the 1992 Constitution provided that traditional practices that were injurious be abolished, the practice still persisted.
Nana Oye stated that FGM constituted a serious threat to the health of females, including their psychological, sexual and reproductive status, which could increase their vulnerability to obstetric and fatal consequences
National house of chiefs pledges support
For his part, the President of the National House of Chiefs, Naa Professor John Nabila, pledged the unflinching support of the house to end forced and early marriage.
He expressed worry over the stigmatisation and pain women with obstetric fistula experienced and advised that expectant mothers seek swift medical attention when in labour.
Naa Prof Nabila, who was also the chairman for the occasion, charged traditional leaders to step up their efforts at addressing gender-related issues in their respective communities to enhance development.
Increase in obstetric fistula
Speaking at the dialogue, the Representative of the UNFPA in Ghana, Dr Babatunde Ahonsi, stated that Ghana was among the countries with the highest child marriage prevalence rates in the world.
He explained that early child marriage, which in many cases leads to early child birth, also increased the risk of obstructed labour due to under-developed pelvis that prevented safe delivery.
“It is estimated that there are as many as 50,000 to 100,000 new cases of fistula each year globally,’’ he stated.