The Department of Gender with funding from UNFPA and the Canadian Government has organized a workshop on the menace of Gender Based Violence and Child Marriage for 62 participants at Medie in the Ga West Municipal Assembly.

The workshop which was held on Wednesday 12^th June brought together identifiable groups who were sensitized to identify the continuous efforts to reduce Gender Based Violence and Child Marriage which usually eliminates the freedom of the Child to choose when and whom to marry and the implications on the mental health of the Child.

In the welcome address given by Hon. Owusu Asumadu, the presiding member of the Ga West Municipal Assembly, He said that before one can have a healthy pregnancy, her pelvic should be developed hence Children should not be given out for marriage in order to avoid teenage pregnancies. He further stated that the man on the other hand should be financially stable hence male child marriage is neither good.

On the purpose of gathering, Madam Matilda Banfro, the Greater Accra Regional Director for the Department of Gender stated that marriage should be consensual, parties should be of age and the marriage should not be forced on them. Child marriage occur when either of the partners is below 18 years and that in sub Saharan Africa, 40% of married women experience Child Marriage so African countries account for 15 out of 20 countries with largest rates of Child Marriage. In Ghana, 1 out of every 5 girls would be married before their 18^th birthday and those in the rural areas are twice more likely to be child brides. Research shows that Child bride rate in the Greater Accra Region is 11%. She asserted that there are legal frameworks which prohibit Children under 18 years from marriage but these Children are powerless by themselves to refuse when they are forced into it. It is against this background that the Greater Accra Regional Department of Gender under the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection with support from the UNFPA and the Canadian Government organized this session.

First Presentation on Child Marriage was given by Madam Juliana Abbey Quaye, the Eastern Regional Director, Department of Gender. She educated participants on the causes, effects and prevention of Child marriage. She informed them that the legal age for marriage in Ghana is 18 years and the both parties should be willing to go into marriage. Madam Julaiana also informed participants that the three types of marriage in Ghana are the Customary, Ordinance and the Mohammedans marriage. She also explained that Child marriage can be formal where rites are performed or informal where there is no rite to that regard but partners cohabit. According to her, statistics given by UNICEF and UNFPA of child marriage in Ghana states there are 2million Child marriages in Ghana.

2021 Ghana’s Population Census recorded 80,000 girls as married or living with their partners. Boys are not exception as 1 in every 3 Children living with a partner is a boy. She explained that in 2010, Girl child marriage was 54.5% while in 2021, girl child marriage rate rose to 61.0% so if we do nothing to control the menace, it will keep rising. She educated participants that Girl child marriage is mainly caused by poverty, low educational rate, strict adherence to culture and religion, low access to higher education, teenage pregnancy among others.

The second presentation was on Sexual Reproductive Health Right and was delivered by Madam Jemima Marfo from the Municipal Health Directorate GWMA. She informed participants on the health implications of Child Marriage as being teenage pregnancy, pregnancy complications like urinary tract infection, obstetric fistula which is an abnormal connection between the rectum and the vagina, anemia, sexually transmitted infections, cervical cancer, malnutrition and stunting, depression, anxiety, unsafe abortions and pregnancy induced hypertension. She further explained the STI effect rate that 3 out of every 5 HIV infected persons in Ghana are between the ages of 15 to 24 years.

Moving on, the third presentation was delivered by Rees Oduro from Narcotics Control Commission on substance abuse. According to Him, research has shown that when a girl child marries below the age 18 years, she stands the risk of experiencing mental depression which usually lead them to indulge in drug abuse. He described drugs as any substance that brings changes to the body after using either internally or externally. We have legal or licit drugs, while we have illegal or illicit drugs. The law permits the sale of legal drugs while it prohibits the sale of illegal drugs like wee, cocaine, shisha and heroine. Any drugs taking without doctor’s prescription is a drug abuse. People usually abuse drugs for the pleasure they experience after usage, for recreational use, high performance, stimulants and depressants.  He advised participants to always use only drugs when prescribed by medical practitioners.

Participants were grouped as specified by their areas of residence. Each group discussed how each cause of Child marriage in their areas could be intercepted. Leaders of each group were nominated and they were informed of a similar dialogue session which would be held in 6 months to collate a report on how they have implemented their findings.

Dignitaries present were Hon. Owusu Asumadu, the Presiding Member of the GWMA, Madam Matilda Banfro, the Greater Accra Regional Director for the Department of Gender, Madam Juliana Abbey Quaye, the Eastern Regional Director of the Department of Gender, Madam Rachel Sarpong, the Municipal Information Officer for the GWMA.

All things considered, the consultation to end child marriage in the Ga West Municipal Assembly was a resounding success. Participants were well trained and tasked as agents of change for the Assembly to help the Gender Department to reach out to the wider community towards the fight against Child Marriage.

Source: Rachel Sarpong, Deputy Chief Information Officer, ISD GWMA.