By Jones Anlimah
A two-day capacity-building workshop aimed at combating child marriage has been held to equip traditional leaders, queen mothers, opinion leaders, and youth leaders in the Anfoega Traditional Area.
Organised by the Obaapa Development Foundation with support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the event marked a significant step towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5, which promotes gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.
Themed “Ending Child Marriage in Ghana, One Paramountcy at a Time,” the workshop sought to empower participants with the knowledge and tools needed to address child marriage, a practice that undermines the well-being and potential of young girls.
Nana Hemaa Awindor, Executive Director of the Obaapa Development Foundation, emphasised the importance of engaging traditional leaders, who are the custodians of culture, to effect meaningful change. “Child marriage has been a global issue, and especially in Africa, the figures are disturbing,” she said.
“The expectation is that when we give capacity to traditional, religious, and opinion leaders, the community becomes informed and empowered by their leadership, and this cascades down to the people we are targeting,” she added.
Nana Hemaa Awindor further stressed the need for a united front to address the root causes of child marriage, which include poverty, lack of education, and deeply rooted cultural norms. “We are working towards a zero child marriage in Ghana and Africa. Our approach in Ghana to achieve this is addressing one paramountcy at a time,” she emphasised.
Mrs. Thywill Kpe, Volta Regional Director of the Department of Gender, highlighted the broader implications of child marriage on societal progress. “Ghana is home to 2 million child brides (UNICEF). Out of these, 600,000 girls are married before the age of 15. Among women aged 20-24 years in Ghana, child marriage has been reduced from 27% in 2011 to 19% in 2018 (MICS, 2018). In the Volta Region, 24% of women aged 20-24 were married before the age of 18. This means 1 in 4 girls in the region is married before the age of 18,” she stated.
She added, “Child marriage perpetuates a cycle of poverty and inequality that undermines national development efforts and hinders Ghana’s achievement of SDG 5. We must ensure that girls stay in school, delay marriage, and have access to opportunities that enable them to thrive.”
The Paramount Chief of the Anfoega Traditional Area, Togbe Tepre Hodo IV, pledged his support and commitment to the cause, acknowledging the pivotal role traditional authorities play in shaping societal norms.
“Learning new ways to tackle the issues confronting us as a society is crucial. I hope that participants have made appropriate notes, and their contributions show they understand the issues at stake. This is a work in progress, but I am optimistic it will transform our communities,” he remarked.
“Our traditions are a source of pride, but they must evolve to reflect the values of equality and progress. As traditional leaders, we must lead the charge in abolishing practices that harm our children. This is not just a women’s issue; it is a community issue, and we all have a role to play in protecting the future of our youth,” Togbe Tepre Hodo IV added.
The workshop culminated in a roadmap outlining strategies to combat child marriage within the Anfoega Traditional Area. With continuous support from organisations like the Obaapa Development Foundation and UNFPA, Ghana is steadily progressing towards a future where every girl can live free from the threat of early marriage, fulfill her potential, and contribute to national development.
