Ho-Ghana, Sept. 25, GNA – Mr Francis Yao Agbemadi, Volta Regional Director of Education says empowering adolescent boys with gender-related issues is crucial in reducing gender inequality, sexual and gender-based violence and teenage pregnancy.
He said when adolescent boys were properly equipped with information on gender-related issues and well empowered, it would position them to become agents of change and ambassadors of gender issues.
Mr Agbemadi was speaking at the 2023 Gender Equality Males’ Empowerment School (GEMS) in Ho on the theme: “Action for Gender Equality, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights: Men and Boys as Key Partners.”
The Director said sexual and reproductive health and rights were matters that concerned not only girls and women but also boys and men and was important to empower them to be advocates in their schools and communities.
“Empowering them with the necessary knowledge, tools and skills they need to be agent of change in their communities, will contribute to steadily reducing the incidents of sexual and gender-based violence, the spread of STDs and STIs among others.”
The programme was organised by the Volta Regional Directorate of the Department of Gender under the auspices of the Volta Regional Coordinating Council with support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
It brought together a total of 30 in-school adolescent boys from Central Tongu, North Dayi, South Dayi, Keta and Akatsi North.
The participants were taken through issues including sexual and gender-based violence, child marriage, sexual and reproductive health rights, personal hygiene, and teenage pregnancy.
Mrs Thywill Eyra Kpe, Volta Regional Director of the Department of Gender, noted that advocacy for gender equality over the years have been shrouded in several misunderstanding.
This, she said, was contributing to a void in many contemporary political debates on gender-related issues, requiring a concerted effort to address the issues.
She said the objective of the programme was to build the capacities of the participants to transform gender relations and to champion gender equality in their communities and schools.
Madam Cynthia Danku, a representative of the Ghana Health Service cautioned the participants against sexual activities to prevent sexual transmission infections and advised them to pay attention to personal hygiene.
