Afrikids clubs lament lack of parental care for girls

A number of girls who are members of the Afrikids Ghana child rights clubs in the Talensi and Nabdam districts in the Upper East Region have expressed regret about what they described as the seeming increasing lack of parental care for girls.

They also spoke against child abuse, forced marriages and the ‘kayayei’ phenomenon during the 10th Anniversary celebration of Afrikids Ghana in Bolgatanga last Saturday.

Two of the girls, Linda Bangenbey and Gladys Sapiug, both pupils of the Tongo Junior High School in the Talensi District, who spoke to the Daily Graphic on behalf of their colleagues, recounted a situation where one of their club members was forced into marriage. 

They said with support from the patron of their club and its members, the girl was saved and was able to continue her education.

They pointed out that it was disheartening  that most of their mates (girls) between the ages of 12 and 19 absented themselves from school because they could not raise money to buy sanitary towels when they menstruated monthly, and resolved to find ways of mobilising funds to support their mates to remain in school.

They also vowed to help to  intensify education on the need for parents to take the education of their daughters seriously and avoid pushing them into forced marriages.

Knowledge

According to the girls, activities of the club have exposed them to their rights to education, proper health care, freedom of association, right to refuse forced marriages among others. They also observed that joining the club had increased their confidence levels in public speaking.

For her part, Gladys Akanmob of the Saint Louise Junior High School in Bolgatanga noted that as a club member, she had learnt to be disciplined and to comport herself.

Achievements

The Country Director of Afrikids Ghana, Mr Nicholas Kumah, stated that his outfit had been working with seven villages in the Kassena Nankana West District to address the ‘spirit child’ phenomenon and explained that 300 child rights clubs had been introduced in six districts in northern Ghana.

He also said the organisation had successfully worked towards the withdrawal of over 12,000 children who were involved in small-scale mining (galamsey) and facilitated their enrolment into schools. He also indicated that 9,415 rural women in northern Ghana had been provided with livelihood support, while 860 young people living in the streets of Kumasi and Bolgatanga had been rehabilitated and reintegrated into their respective families through skills training.

He said the establishment of the Afrikids Medical Centre that provided healthcare services to over 60,000 patients annually was another giant stride made by the organisation.

Activities

Activities outlined for the anniversary, which is on the theme: "10 years of child protection in Northern Ghana", include a health walk, child rights festival, World Streetism Day, World Day Against Child Labour, African Union Day of the African Child, symposia, staff retreat, fun games, donations, excursion and a dinner.