The Executive Director of Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency (SWIDA-GH) Hajia Halima Sagito – Saeed, has called on stakeholders in the Karaga district to protect girls by fighting against child marriage and all forms of child abuse in the district.
She made this statement at the Karaga district assembly during a high level district dialogue organized by her organization, SWIDA-GH in partnership with World Vision International – Ghana on the theme “Ending child trafficking and violence against children: The role of traditional and religious leaders”.
According to Hajia Alimah, the fight against child marriage and all forms of child abuse is not just a fight for SWIDA-GH and WVI but one that takes a collective effort from all the stakeholders.
In attendance of the event included, religious leaders, parents, heads of department at the district assembly, education unit, police, CHRAJ, school children and youth groups.
Each group presented action points that they will tackle at their level to help end the menace of child marriage and child trafficking.
The participants all agreed that child marriage undermines the growth and development of young girls, as well as robs the nation of productive youth who could contribute towards national development.
The National “End Child Marriage Now Campaign” Coordinator at the WVI, Madam Barbara Asare Yeboah said the campaign was an initiative to reduce cases of child marriage by five per cent in the country, through rolled out interventions that targeted key actors, including traditional and religious authorities, young girls and NGOs to achieve the set out objectives.
She added that the campaign was aimed at influencing national policies that protect children from abuse and also mobilize young people for purposes of empowerment and capacity building, to arm them enough to drive capacity against child marriages in their communities.
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