The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection says it is developing a comprehensive five-year strategic plan aimed at eradicating child marriage in the country.
The plan will be carried out through the Integrated Enterprise Development Centres initiated by Purim African Youth Development (PAYD).
Addressing the media at a Kayayei Business and Leadership Fair in Accra, Head of Domestic Violence Secretariat at the Ministry, Mrs. Malonin Asibi said the strategic plan will focus on removing the vulnerabilities that marginalised girls are exposed to and cut the link between poverty and child marriage.
The Integrated model initiated by Purim African Youth Development, PAYD uses a multi-dimensional approach to reach out to the marginalized girls, including giving them accurate sexual and reproductive health information and services, entrepreneurial skills as well as sensitization on how to prevent and respond to sexual and gender based violence as well as harmful practices.
Mrs. Asibi reiterated that in order to eradicate girl-child marriage and gender-based violence, two rapid response centers have been established to help Kayayei have a defense mechanism to the phenomenon.
The Kaneshie Divisional MTTD Commander, Elvis Sadongo highlighted some of the challenges kayayei girls encounter in the country.
Executive Director of Purim African Youth Development platform, Rev. Aku Xornam Kevi said about seven hundred girls have been engaged in different skills, such as soap making and beads making.
Some beneficiaries of the Integrated Enterprise Development module shared their life experiences after participating in the project.
The event was to showcase what marginalized girls have acquired through vocational skills in order for them to have alternative livelihoods to reduce the vulnerabilities which leads to child marriage.
