ActionAid Ghana, as part of activities marking its 35th anniversary, has organized a stakeholder dialogue on combating teenage pregnancies and sexual abuse in schools to commemorate the World Day for the Prevention of and Healing from Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Violence.
In a speech delivered at the event, the Programme Manager of ActionAid Ghana, Akuka Yakubu, revealed that between January and May 2025, the Upper East Region recorded 2,436 teenage pregnancies—including 25 cases among girls aged 10–14 and 2,411 cases among girls aged 15–19.
Mr. Yakubu described the situation as worrying, noting that reported cases of defilement and sexual abuse involving minors also continue to rise, though many are likely underreported, especially in conflict-affected areas. These realities, he said, remind us that sexual exploitation and teenage pregnancy in schools and communities are not only violations of girls’ rights but also among the most damaging obstacles to women’s empowerment and gender equality.
A study conducted last year by ActionAid Ghana involving 307 young women in the Greater Accra, Northern, and Upper East Regions revealed that 44 percent had experienced sexually oriented behaviour—such as unwanted touching, rubbing, or groping—at their workplaces. Behind these numbers, he added, are stories of girls coerced by people in authority, lured by economic desperation, or silenced by stigma. Mr. Yakubu stressed that these violations are not only against the law but also against girls’ bodily integrity—the fundamental right of every girl to make choices about her own body, free from violence and coercion.
He explained that ActionAid Ghana approaches the issue from a feminist and human rights perspective, believing that protecting girls’ bodily integrity is central to achieving gender justice. This means building systems where accountability replaces impunity, survivors find support instead of shame, and schools become safe spaces for growth rather than grounds for abuse.
Mr. Yakubu therefore called on education authorities, parents, health workers, law enforcement agencies, human rights institutions, and policymakers to rise with one voice and tackle the issue head-on. This, he said, requires holding perpetrators accountable rather than shielding them, strengthening reporting systems, resourcing guidance and counselling units, and ensuring that survivors are treated with dignity.
He emphasized the need to move from awareness to action, from dialogue to policy reforms, and from commitments to concrete community safeguards. This includes a robust, coordinated response system linking schools with DOVVSU, social welfare, and health services; firm accountability mechanisms; and comprehensive sexuality education grounded in rights and bodily integrity, equipping young people with knowledge on consent, respect, and self-protection.
He added that investment is needed in safe spaces, mentorship, and youth-led advocacy—such as support for platforms like the Young Urban Women’s Movement and the Young Female Platforms. He also called for a bold shift in community norms, led by parents, traditional and faith leaders, and local assemblies, to end the culture of silence around sexual abuse.
Source: a1radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Mercy Yamtot|Bolgatanga
