Adolescents call for more education on child rights
Adolescents at a workshop on child marriage and adolescent rights have expressed concern about inadequate exposure and education on children's rights, especially in rural communities.
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They have, therefore, called for intensified education on the rights and responsibilities of children.
They made the call at an adolescent symposium on the theme: "Child Marriage and Adolescent Rights" at the University of Cape Coast.
The event was organised by the Centre for Gender Research, Advocacy and Documentation (CEGRAD) at UCC, in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the Department of Gender and the Central Regional Coordinating Council (CRCC).
The symposium attracted 167 participants from surrounding communities, including Kwaporow, Amamoma, Apewosika and Akotokyir.
Testimonies
A student from Apewosika Metropolitan Assembly Basic School, Emmanuella Thompson, expressed her astonishment at the information shared during the event.
"I didn't know anything about the basic rights I had as a child. I have learnt so much that will help me from here," she stated.
She admitted that she had been unaware of the rights and privileges she was entitled to as a child and said a lot of her rights had been trampled upon.
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Ms Thompson said she was grateful for the organisers' efforts and appealed for more such events to be held, especially in rural communities, to educate and empower children like herself.
Another participant, Akwasi Adumadze, from the Kwaprow community, pointed out that while girls were often favoured in such cases of sexual and gender-based violence, boys also suffered from harassment, particularly young boys who may find it difficult to report abuse by older women due to societal biases.
He commended the organisers for the eye-opening education, saying it would help them to be safe and demand fairness in their dealings with society.
Remain vigilant
During her address, the Central Regional Director of the Department of Gender, Richlove Amamoo, highlighted a critical point from Ghana's Children's Act, 1998 (Act 560), specifically Section Five, which states that "every child has the right to grow up with a parent."
She pointed out that increasingly, many mothers were raising their children alone due to divorce or separation, leaving many children unaware of their fathers’ whereabouts.
The Director, CEGRAD-UCC, Professor Eunice Fay Amissah, also expressed concern over the global prevalence of child marriage, noting that every minute, 28 girls are forced into marriage somewhere in the world.
"These 28 girls could be you," he said and urged the participants to remain resolute in pursuing their dreams.
She also encouraged them to share their dreams with their parents, believing that they played a crucial role in their success.
She again encouraged the youth to utilise social media platforms, not just for entertainment, but as a tool for learning and skill development.