Gyaasehene of Asokore-Mampong speaking on behalf of Asokore Mamponghene
Nana Boakye Ansah, the Chief of Asokore-Mampong has decried all forms of violence perpetrated against the girl child.
Domestic violence, child marriage as well as others, he noted causes the girl child to become timid when she grows up to become a lady or woman.
Speaking to newsmen after participating in an interactive program organized by Defense for Children International (DCI) and its partners on gender based violence, the Chief through his Gyaasehene expressed disgust at the way some parents treat their female children.
Rather than taking the girl child to school, the Chief noted some parents prefer sending their male children to school early.
‘’I am surprised the girl child is subjected to inhuman treatment and discrimination even at the homes they come from and the worrying aspect is that society feels it is no problem when males are treated better than females’’, the Chief noted with pain.
DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN:
Mr Ofosu Darfoor, a representative from the Department of Children under the Ministry of Gender, Women and Children Affairs recounted scenarios the girl child is treated unfairly.
According to him, from the time the girl child is born she is discriminated against because of her sex. Most cultures in the Ghanaian settings, he revealed see the male child as a better human being than a girl child.
Domestic chores, he noted are always loaded on the head of the girl child while the boys have liberty to go out and play after school.
Mr Darfoor recommended for more sensitization programs to be carried out in the communities across the country so as to disabuse the minds of the populace that the male child is better than the female child.
‘’I believe as a people and as stakeholders in the welfare of members of the society we do more to ensure our customs help our girls to have decent lives at the home and elsewhere’’, the representative of the Department of Children suggested.
DCI REGIONAL COORDINATOR:
Speaking to the Ghanaian Observer Newspaper, the Ashanti Regional Coordinator for DCI, Mr Martin O. Sekeyere expressed the commitment of his outfit to carry out sensitization forums to enable the public get to know the effects of violence on the girl child.
Mr Sekyere urged the society, particularly gender sensitive organizations to speak against all forms of violence against the girl child.
Early marriage, female genital mutilation as well as other forms of violence against the girl child, the Regional coordinator stressed should not be countenanced by the society.
Some of these ills, he noted has been perpetrated against the girl child for long, adding such has the potential to erode the self confidence in girls in their old age.
‘’We at DCI are against every form of violence against the girl child and we are committed to ensuring that the society partners us to root it out from the country’’, Mr Sekyere firmly stressed.
What do you think about this piece? Share your comment in the comment thread and share the story using the social media buttons above. Thank you.
