Ghana is the country in West Africa with the highest rate of children getting married before attaining age 18.
Northern region too records the highest rate of child marriages in Ghana. The Upper East Region and the Central region according to a research revealed that 1 in every 10 adolescent girls in these regions is already married or leaving in a union.
The United Nation’s Children Fund (UNICEF) research further revealed that child marriages is more common in the poor settlements in the country with more women in those areas believed to have married under the age of 18.
UNICEF child protection officer in charge of the three regions of Ghana, Ruby Anang Korkor made this revelation at Afrikids Ghana child right festival held at Kongo in Nabdam district of the upper east region. According to her, girls who are given out for marriage most often come from poor households with little or no access to education.
Madam Korkor said the situation however is getting better with the efforts of government and child rights organizations operating in the country. She urged parents to desist from forcibly giving out their children for marriage.
“The fact that a girl gets pregnant because her ears are hard doesn’t mean you should put her into marriage. You never know, tomorrow maybe it is that child that will send you to Mecca” she advised.
The child right festival is an activity and part of Afrikids child marriage project which started in 2015 with the support of UNICEF aimed at reducing the incidence of child marriage in the Upper East Region. The choice of Talensi and Nabdam districts is as a result of a high rate of child marriage in the areas.
Silas Ayaaba, Afrikids Area manager of Talensi and Nabdam district said due to high poverty level in the area and irresponsible parenting, some vulnerable girls in the area have fallen prey to some irresponsible ‘galamsey’ men who take undue advantage of their situation and impregnate them.
In order to reduce the menace, Mr. Ayaaba stated that Afrikids Ghana has organized child right clubs in schools to mentor and empower them to protect their rights.
According to him, through series of sensitization activities in 20 communities in the districts, many parents no longer forcibly give their wards out for marriage.
However, to prevent shame and disgrace Mr. Ayaaba added that parents forcibly give out the children for marriage when they get pregnant.
“We have been able to rescue not less than 20 of these girls who were either being pregnant and given out so that their brothers can go to school. I have also had incidence where parents’ years ago borrowed cattle and now the owners of the cattle are now asking for their cattle or they (parents) give them women. So we have examples where parents are engaged in those acts” he lamented.
While calling on female teachers to serve as mentors to girls in every Junior High School, he also entreated traditional leaders to fine parents who force their children into marriage in order to serve as deterrent to others.
Paramount chief of Nangodi, Naba Asaaga Yelzoya II commended Afrikids Ghana and its partners for the efforts at ending child marriage in the area and pledged his eminent support to the organization.
By: Joshua Asaah | A1RADIOONLINE.com | Ghana
