La Dade-Kotopon Education Director Calls for Action to End Child Marriage

The La Dade-Kotopon Municipal Director of Education, Ms Habiba Kotonah, has called for stronger efforts to end child marriage and protect girls’ right to education.

She said child marriage deprived girls of their childhood, disrupted their education and limited their chances of achieving their dreams.

Ms Kotonah made the call at an event to mark the International Day of the Girl Child at Forces Senior High Technical School in Accra yesterday.

The event was organised by CAMFED Ghana in collaboration with the Ghana Education Service (GES), with support from the Mastercard Foundation and the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE).

It was held on the theme, “End Child Marriage and Invest in Girls’ Rights.”

Ms Kotonah called on parents, teachers and community leaders to work together to protect girls and ensure that they remained in school.

She urged parents to support their daughters’ education and encouraged female teachers, particularly those at the senior high school level, to mentor girls and help them overcome challenges.

She also called for safe school environments where girls could report sexual harassment and abuse without fear of being blamed or judged.

Ms Kotonah encouraged girls to remain focused on their education and take advantage of opportunities available to them.

The Director of the GES Girls’ Education Unit, Ms Gifty Aseidu, said girls continued to face challenges, including early marriage, harassment, discrimination and limited access to education.

She said protecting girls required quality education, safe learning environments and the freedom for them to make decisions about their lives.

Ms Aseidu called for increased investment in skills training, mentorship, employment and entrepreneurship to prepare girls for the future.

She urged stakeholders to remove barriers that prevented girls from completing their education and becoming economically independent.

The Executive Director of CAMFED Ghana, Ms Fairuza Abdul-Rashid Safian, said child marriage robbed girls of their childhood, interrupted their education and limited their choices.
She said every girl had the right to education, protection and the opportunity to have her voice heard and determine her future.
Ms Safian said investment in girls’ rights was a commitment to equality, justice and human dignity, rather than charity.
She added that CAMFED continued to promote girls’ education and young women’s leadership to ensure that poverty did not determine their future.
She called on parents, schools, communities and institutions to work together to end child marriage and ensure that every girl had access to education, protection and opportunities to fulfil her potential.

The Head of Workforce Development at the Mastercard Foundation, Ms Emelia Ayipio Asamoah, urged girls to know their rights, develop their skills and build the confidence to speak up when necessary.

She encouraged them to seek mentors, explore opportunities and support one another to achieve their goals.

Ms Asamoah also called on institutions and development partners to provide safe spaces for girls and expand opportunities for learning, leadership development and employment.

She said a girl’s background should not determine her future, adding that education and practical skills could prepare girls for employment and entrepreneurship.

BY AGNES OPOKU SARPONG