Rural Initiatives for Self-Empowerment Ghana (RISE Ghana) has initiated a campaign dubbed “Good Dads.” The programme would focus on the protection and promotion of adolescent sexual reproductive health rights and nutrition.
The project, which is covering Bawku West, Kassena Nankana West, and the Bongo Districts in the Upper East region with support from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), seeks to improve sexual and reproductive health rights of children in these districts.
Speaking to the media after an engagement with the fathers and other stakeholders who are carefully selected as “good dads” to champion the campaign, the Executive Director of RISE Ghana, Awal Ahmed Kariama said it’s significant for both parents to get heavily involved in promoting and addressing the needs of adolescents at all times.
According to Mr. Awal, most fathers are less or not at all involved on issues relating to their adolescents, hence the 45 men across the three districts would be embarking on a series of activities at their various community levels for the promotion of adolescent sexual and reproductive health rights and nutrition.
“At the end of the day they will be rolling out radio programs at their respective communities on how they can support these adolescents to achieve their fullest potentials, and ensure that duty bearers are able to cater to the needs of the adolescents. And to also ensure that adolescents are not vulnerable to sexual abuse, malnutrition, or any other sexual related issues,” he added.
The campaign has strong collaboration with the Ghana Health Service and the Department of Social Welfare with support from UNICEF. During an engagement of stakeholders and training of the fathers, officials from the Ghana Health Service and the Department of Social Welfare took the participants through all the necessities of safeguarding adolescent sexual reproductive health rights and nutrition as male parents.
Some of the fathers who spoke to the media about the project believe a lot has gone wrong with parenting lately because many fathers think it is enough to pay bills of the home and leave the rest, including safeguarding adolescent sexual reproductive health rights and nutrition, to the women. According to them, with the enrollment in this project, a lot would be achieved.
Source: A1radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|David Azure|Ghana
