Youth Harvest Foundation, a local UNICEF supported community-based organization in Bolgatanga has launched a one week training programme for a group of 30 young people to empower them to wage war against Child Marriage.
The one week training workshop on early child marriage brought together other stake holders including Ghana Health Sevice, Ghana Education Sevice, NCCE and DOVVSU to educate the selected child marriage ambassadors.
According to the Youth Harvest Foundation Ghana, early or child marriage is any marriage involving a person younger than 18 years. Even though child or early marriage affects both boys and girls, the latter are often the most affected. Their overall development is compromised, leaving them socially isolated with little or no education, skills and opportunities for employment and realization of their implicit potentials. This leaves them more vulnerable to poverty. The practice also deprives them of basic rights to health, development and equality.
Speaking to a1radioonline.com, the Executive Director of Youth Harvest Foundation Ghana (YHFG) Mr. John Kingsley Krugu said force or early child marriage is condemnable in our society and that triggered the YHFG as a supported local organization to join the campaign in ending early marriages.
According to Mr. Krugu, most girls from the three Northern Regions of Ghana are usually given out for marriage at very young ages against their wish and that in its way is a clear violation of the constitution of Ghana and the universal declaration of human rights. In most cases girls are forced to marry men old enough to be their fathers and in some situations their grandfathers.
However, many of the girls escape from these unfortunate marriages to settle in southern part of the country where they become messenger girls popularly called Kayaye. Many of these girls drop out of school and have no skill to make a living. Youth Harvest Foundation has rescued a number of these girls in most communities in the Upper East Region and engaged them in remedial class in order to pave a way to further their education and as well acquire some skill training to cater for themselves and family in future.
Mr. John Kingsley Krugu added that taking the youth through sex education will go a long way to minimize forced or early marriage in our society today. He noted that it will be difficult stopping youth of this 21st century from engaging in sexual activities. It is important they are educated to use condoms and other contraceptives.
The group of 30 trained young boys and girls will serve as role models in their various communities, especially playing a key role by educating other young people on the disadvantages of forced and early marriage.
By: Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen | A1RADIOONLINE.com | GHANA
