Ghana News-Girls Advocacy Alliance has is up in arms against child sexual abuse in schools and Child marriages ongoing in Ghana.
The Non-Governmental Organization is appalled by the alarming trends of child marriages and child abuse cases and how very little has been done so far to stem the tide.
A press statement issued by Girls Advocacy Alliance and copied to rawgist.com outlined several cases of child abuse cases by teachers at various levels of basic education.
They also held a press conference during which these issues were raised as part of activities to mark the International Children’s Day celebration on the 1st June, 2018.
They are calling for “urgent action” to curtail the situation.
“About 10 years ago, a study by Plan Ghana in the Awutu-Senya, Efutu and Upper Manya Krobo districts (which was representative of the national picture), revealed about 14% of school children, mostly between 14 and 15 year old had been sexually abused. The study showed one of the main perpetrators of such abuse were teachers (responsible for about 21 percent of the abuses). The study also indicated that only 30% of the victims told someone about the abuse. The response, in most cases is either nothing is done to the perpetrators or they are warned not to do that again…From the recent stories we have heard in the media including the famous case at Ejisuman Senior High School in the Ashanti region, the figures are probably higher today than they were 9 years ago when that study was conducted”.
Earlier this year, it emerged over ten female students at the Ejisuman Senior High School claimed they were forced by some of the teachers to perform various sexual acts on them leading to the interdiction of 9 teachers. This caused the Ghana Education Service to establish a 7 member committee to investigate the issue and came up with varying recommendations in April 2018.
Girls Advocacy Alliance say they are watching with eagle eyes how that matter will be handled.
Ejisuman SHS case just a tip of the iceberg
The NGO reveals the few cases including the Ejisuman case is just a tip of the iceberg as many of the cases do not even get media attention.
They allege that those that get reported to the authorities see very little or no punitive action; a situation that emboldens the culprits to continue abusing other kids.
Effects of abuses
Girls Advocacy Alliance also outlined some of the horrendous effects of the abuse on the victims. These include STDs including HIV/AIDS, teenage pregnancies which are sometimes life-threatening, truncation of the child’s education, injuries to their reproductive system that may be lifelong among a host of others.
Suggestions on how to handle cases
They believe authorities have to take harsh decisions that will help tackle the situation head-on.
They recommend that:
1) The investigations at the Ejisuman Senior High School was a good move but obviously it’s not enough. The Ghana Education Service should set up a national committee to thoroughly investigate the widespread concern of sexual abuse of girls in schools and make more holistic recommendations on how they can be stopped once and for all or at least reduced.
2) The supervisory role of educational authorities in schools should also be strengthened so that such concerns can be dealt with rapidly and the perpetrators brought to book.
3) The Guidance and Counselling units in various schools should be equipped with well qualified and trusted personnel to adequately educate girls on how they can avoid falling prey to such circumstances
4) The security agencies should step up their efforts in helping fight this canker by proactively and in a timeous manner dealing with such cases from the level of the police to the judiciary to serve as a deterrent to those who engage in it.
5) Clear reporting channels outside the local school structure should also be established to allow for independent investigations into some of these allegations when they come up to ensure justice.
Child Marriages
They want government to show more commitment towards ending child marriages in Ghana.
“Despite efforts to deal with this canker called Child Marriage, the problem refuses to go away. According to the United Nations Children and Education Fund, UNICEF, in Ghana, representing 27% of females (representing 1 in every 4 women) are married before the age of 18. As at 2011, child Marriage had increased nationwide from 25.9% in 2006 to 27%”.
Girls Advocacy Alliance says it has done a lot of work in this regard and will soon outdoor a documentary which reveals staggering cases especially at Zameshegu in the Gushegu District of the Northern region “where a 15 year old girl in class three was snatched on her way to school and taken to the home of her supposed husband”.
They say, though a lot of “paper work” have been done, they want the government to take serious action on the practice.
About Girls Advocacy Alliance
The Girls Advocacy Alliance is an initiative of three organisations in the Netherlands; Plan, Defence for Children, and Terre des Hommes. The project is funded by and implemented in partnership with the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs to better the lives of women and girls and ensure the provision of equal opportunities for them in 10 Asian and African countries.
In Ghana, the project is being implemented in the Greater Accra, Ashanti, Northern, Upper West and Eastern Regions by Plan International Ghana, Defense for Children International Ghana and Ghana NGO Coalition on the Rights of the Child. That is why we have journalists from all the above mentioned regions here today along with representatives from the institutions mentioned.
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.
