It is time for Ghana to have a conversation about the barriers that drag the girl-child behind, former President John Mahama’s running mate, Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has said.
“The time is now for a national conversation about why girls continue to face these barriers to their progress”, Prof Opoku-Agyemang said in a statement issued on Sunday, 11 October 2020 to mark International Day of the Girl Child.
“We must reflect on the promise of equal opportunity at all levels of education for Ghanaian girls, and how obstacles like period poverty deny them that.
Some 47 million girls worldwide have been pushed into poverty by the economic impacts of COVID- 19. But worse still, their risks of sexual and physical violence appear to have intensified since the start of the pandemic.
Ghanaian girls have not been spared from these hardships. This is why the theme of this year’s International Day of the Girl Child demands our attention: “My Voice, Our Equal Future”.
Today, we celebrate efforts led by girls in Ghana and around the world to …See More
“We must acknowledge the pervasive risks of sexual and physical violence that Ghanaian girls face at school, in their communities, and even in their own homes.
I called on Osabarima Ayeh Kofi I at the Suhum Palace, joined by Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, National Chairman of the NDC, and Amanda Okyere, Parliamentary candidate for the Suhum Constituency.
I assured the Chiefs and people of Suhum that the NDC campaign shall be devoid of insults and remain focused on the plans we have to improve the lives of Ghanaians.
“We must acknowledge how outmoded social norms limit options for young girls, how harmful cultural practices protect sexual predators at the expense of the victims, and how our justice system often fails girls too. John and I are committed to confronting these issues head-on”, she said.
She noted: “This is what informs the commitments of The People’s Manifesto to Ghanaian girls, an agenda for opportunity, equality and inclusion”.
She noted: “This is what informs the commitments of The People’s Manifesto to Ghanaian girls, an agenda for opportunity, equality and inclusion”.
Suhum Constituency is ready for change!
John Mahama’s path forward for Ghana will cut across all ethnicities and partisan affiliation. All Ghanaians matter — everyone has a role to play in our common effort to develop our beloved Republic.
Let’s talk about barriers holding the girl-child back – Opoku-Agyemang on Int’l Day of the girl-child
October 11, 20201Shares
Politics
Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang
It is time for Ghana to have a conversation about the barriers that drag the girl-child behind, former President John Mahama’s running mate, Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has said.
“The time is now for a national conversation about why girls continue to face these barriers to their progress”, Prof Opoku-Agyemang said in a statement issued on Sunday, 11 October 2020 to mark International Day of the Girl Child.
“We must reflect on the promise of equal opportunity at all levels of education for Ghanaian girls, and how obstacles like period poverty deny them that.
“We must acknowledge the pervasive risks of sexual and physical violence that Ghanaian girls face at school, in their communities, and even in their own homes.
“We must acknowledge how outmoded social norms limit options for young girls, how harmful cultural practices protect sexual predators at the expense of the victims, and how our justice system often fails girls too. John and I are committed to confronting these issues head-on”, she said.
She noted: “This is what informs the commitments of The People’s Manifesto to Ghanaian girls, an agenda for opportunity, equality and inclusion”.
Read the full statement below:
STATEMENT ON INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE GIRL CHILD 2020
Today, nations around the world are commemorating the International Day of the Girl Child. This year, we mark the occasion in the shadow of COVID-19, an unprecedented crisis for lives and livelihoods.
Yesterday, I visited the Koforidua Magazin, situated in the Juaben South Constituency, to deliberate with professional associations and traders.
I spoke to Gifty Daglo, Head of the Magazin Women’s Palm Kernel Processing Association, about our plans for a more robust indigenous economy.
The National Democratic Congress, as outlined in the People’s Manifesto, will scrap imports duties for industrial equipment and agricultural products. …See More
The pandemic continues to have a disproportionate effect on the futures and fortunes of young girls, and is worsening the already unacceptable social inequalities that prevail against them.
Some 47 million girls worldwide have been pushed into poverty by the economic impacts of COVID19. But worse still, their risks of sexual and physical violence appear to have intensified since the start of the pandemic.
The people of Kukurantumi are ready for a change in government. And the National Democratic Congress shall reverse the misfortunes that have plagued constituents here for decades.
We shall increase access to healthcare, improve educational infrastructure and create jobs for the people.
Ghanaian girls have not been spared from these hardships.
This is why the theme of this year’s International Day of the Girl Child demand
I visited the people of Ahomamu together with the National Chairman of the NDC, Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo.
We reassured residents of our Flag-bearer, John Dramani Mahama’s, commitment to improve infrastructural development in the Fanteakwa North Constituency.
s our attention: “My Voice, Our Equal Future”.
We celebrate efforts led by girls in Ghana and around the world to demand action on some of their most critical aspirations.
They want to live free from gender-based violence, harmful and outmoded cultural practices, and the risks of HIV and AIDS.
They want opportunities to learn new skills towards the futures they choose for themselves.
They want greater representation and participation in decision-making in order to champion and accelerate the social change they seek. Here in Ghana, we must not fail them.
The time is now for a national conversation about why girls continue to face these barriers to their progress.
We must reflect on the promise of equal opportunity at all levels of education for Ghanaian girls, and how obstacles like period poverty deny them that.
We must acknowledge the pervasive risks of sexual and physical violence that Ghanaian girls face at school, in their communities, and even in their own homes.
We must acknowledge how outmoded social norms limit options for young girls, how harmful cultural practices protect sexual predators at the expense of the victims, and how our justice system often fails girls too. John and I are committed to confronting these issues head-on.
This is what informs the commitments of The People’s Manifesto to Ghanaian girls, an agenda for opportunity, equality and inclusion.
We will pass into law the Affirmative Action Bill.
We will execute our plan to provide free sanitary pads to girls in basic schools, and invest in infrastructure and teacher training to improve quality and access at that level of education.
We will propose a bill to address sexual harassment in schools and elsewhere; we will operationalise support and protection programmes for victims of domestic violence; and we will eliminate medical exam fees for survivors of sexual assault.
These are not political promises, but rather moral obligations. Let us not fall short in these commitments to Ghanaian girls, as that is itself a measure of our national character.