Youth Harvest Foundation Ghana celebrated the International Day of the Girl Child with the students of Asoegoom primary school in Sumbrungu, a suburb of Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region, and educated elementary school students about girls’ rights and empowerment.
The foundation says it is time for stakeholders and policy implementers to stand accountable with and for girls, as well as invest in their education and future progress.
“Deeply entrenched issues and problematic mindsets that have been passed on for generations have made gender-based discrimination and oppression threateningly common in every household, particularly in developing countries. International Day of the Girl Child seeks to eliminate the tragic predicaments of little girls around the world.”
The Executive Director of the Foundation, Priscilla Nyaaba said this when she spoke to the media. She added that celebrating the day gives underprivileged girls the platform to raise their voices and demand equal rights, education, and health.
“Celebrating this day internationally gives a platform to those underprivileged girls to raise their voices and demand equality of rights, education, and health. It gives them a forum to talk about the violence they are subjected to and voice their pleas to end this cruelty. Our efforts in raising their voice will help them grow and be free of this inequality.”
She stressed that “adolescent girls have the right to a safe, educated, and healthy life, not only during these critical formative years but also as they mature into women. If effectively supported during the adolescent years, girls have the potential to change the world – both as the empowered girls of today and as tomorrow’s workers, entrepreneurs, mentors, household heads, political leaders, and mothers. Empowered girls grow up to be empowered women. So, it is on this day we get to appreciate the girl or young woman who brightens up our world. Adolescence is a critical point in every person’s life. It determines the trajectory of girls’ lives, which is why caring for girls in their youth benefits all. If they are empowered at a vulnerable age, they can mature into liberated, wise women of the future. As a society, we all win.”
This year’s theme “Girls deserve better—the world deserves better” focuses the attention of the world on the need to address the challenges girls face and to promote girls’ empowerment and the fulfillment of their human rights.
The pupils, numbering up to 143, including boys, expressed their excitement for the foundation for choosing their school to celebrate the day with them as well as donating sanitary pads and other learning materials.
They held placards with messages such as #BrighterFutureForGirls, create a safe place for girls to thrive and lead, hear our voice to change the future, Government should scrap 20% luxury tax on sanitary pads, Girls at the center stage in decision making.
Source: A1radioonline.com|101.1 MHz|Moses Apiah|Ghana
