Gender
‘Don’t shy away from reproductive health issues’
Despite efforts to eliminate stigma associated with the concept of menstruation, it appears some girls and women still feel uncomfortable discussing the subject in homes and relationships.
It is in view of this that stakeholders on adolescent reproductive health insist that the topic should not be avoided.
Ms Rosemary Ardeyfio, a Reproductive Health Initiator, noted that menstruation should be understood as a “part of women and not a punishment”.
She was speaking at a two-day capacity building workshop for Community Based Organisations (CBOs), Community Facilitators, Health Providers and the Media, on improving strategies for engaging adolescents on reproductive health issues.
Ms Ardeyfio was of the view that education on female sexual health could promote communication, lessen stigma and create empathy.
She noted that there should not be any “shame associated with menstruation” as “that will only make it worse for women”.
“Men have a major role to play in normalising menstruation, and understanding the basics is definitely a step in the right direction.
“Adolescent girls should not feel shy to discuss the concept of menstruation with the opposite sex. Parents must also be involved in the conversations,” she said.
The programme, implemented in five areas, is led by the Alliance for Reproductive Health Rights (ARHR) with funding from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFP) and Canadian government.
The areas include Nzema East, Komenda Edina Eguafo Abrem, Ashiedu Keteke sub district, South Dayi and Bosome Freho.
It formed part of a five-year project designed to empower adolescent girls and boys to access reproductive health information and services through advocacy and capacity building.
The ARHR Programme Director, Nii Ankonnu Annorbah-Sarpei, observed that there was the need to improve strategies for engaging adolescents, especially girls who are out of school to ensure they have access to quality health reproductive services.
He said adolescents must recognise each stage of growth and development as a normal part of their lives, to help eliminate misconceptions associated with changes they go through.
Mr Annorbah-Sarpei expressed ARHR’s commitment to help adolescents and their peers with information on healthy reproductive lifestyles.
Dr Esi Awortwi, UNFP Programme Coordinator, called for increased attention to issues that could be detrimental to the general development of adolescent girls.
“Apathy toward issues confronting adolescent girls could expose them to reproductive health risks such as unplanned pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections and other forms of sexual and gender-based violence,” she said.
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
A training and capacity-building workshop was held on Thursday for the media to intensify coverage on gender-based issues to support women’s participation in leadership and governance in Accra.
The workshop, held under the theme ‘Strengthening Advocacy for the Implementation of Ghana’s Affirmative Action (Equity) Law, 2024 – The Case of the Media’, brought together journalists from selected media houses.
The Convener of the Affirmative Action (AA) Law Coalition, Ms Sheila Minka-Premo (Esq.), stressed that the media has a critical responsibility to educate the public on the importance of the Affirmative Action Act, noting that sustained and informed reporting would strengthen advocacy and support the effective implementation of the law.
While commending both the Legislature and the Executive for the passage and presidential assent of the Affirmative Action Bill into law, the AA Law Coalition Convener appealed to government to address existing gaps. These include the constitutional provision of 30 per cent women’s representation in politics, inadequate policy frameworks to advance affirmative action, and weak compliance by state institutions.
She charged the media to highlight and promote the role of women in leadership and to actively support a smooth and effective implementation process of the Act.
In her welcome address, Executive Director of ABANTU for Development, Dr Rose Mensah-Kutin, said the training sought to strengthen journalists’ advocacy skills to enable them to educate the public on the provisions and significance of the law.
Dr Mensah-Kutin commended ActionAid Ghana for supporting the advocacy efforts, urging the media to prioritise the law to ensure its sustainability.
The Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act, 2024 (Act 1121) was passed by Parliament in July 2024 and received presidential assent in September 2024, following years of sustained advocacy by women’s rights organisations, gender activists, and other stakeholders.
By Linda Abrefi Wadie
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STEMINIST Foundation, Ghana, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) with support from Keta Ramsar Centre has trained about 25 women selected from the Keta Municipality on the rights of women and how to use them for their voices to be heard in their communities.
STEMinist Foundation, Ghana, is a network of women advocating equal opportunities through excellent representation of women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
The women, mostly fishmongers and other self-styled workers, were taken through topics such as Understanding Energy and Climate Justice, Fossil Gas Expansion, Livelihoods’ Care Work and Health, Women Leadership, and Power Building among others.
Mrs Nerissa Edem Anku, Gender Justice Transition Advisor of the Foundation, noted that the theme “Energy Justice: Empowering Women with Power, Rights and Dignity,” was chosen for the women to reconnect, reflect, and look ahead in shaping their rights as women.
She stated that women have been relegated to the background in the communities when it comes to decision making, stressing the need to correct that for them to know they have rights to fight for themselves.
Mrs Nerissa Edem Anku further noted that women in fishing communities wanted to see real and tangible improvements in their living conditions, spearheaded by government to prevent unhealthy confrontations with the local people.
She assured that the NGO would continue to strengthen its programmes to ensure that women were empowered to contribute meaningfully to the socio-economic development of their families, communities, and the nation.
Miss Portia Adu-Mensah, Facilitator, Community Mobilisation Communicator, on her part added that all stakeholders have to adopt more innovative steps to build an environment in which women can thrive. That, she said, would win the confidence of the women and promote more inclusive partnerships.
The Assemblywoman for Dzelukope, Ruby Adukpoh, on behalf of the women thanked the NGO for the gesture and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening their collective voices and influence in shaping policies that will affect them.
From Kafui Gati, Keta
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