An empowerment workshop has been held to educate women, young girls, and single mothers on their sexual and reproductive health rights, prevention of sexual violence, and promotion of bodily autonomy.
The workshop, held at Gbambu in the Gushegu Municipality of the Northern Region, was organized by the Pan-African Organization for Research and Protection (PAORP) with support from the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF).
It brought together 20 participants from the community.
Mr Iddrisu Sunday, Social Welfare Officer, Northern Regional Directorate of Social Welfare, led a session on the various forms and causes of sexual violence highlighting issues such as child marriage, betrothal practices, trafficking, and the phenomenon of kayayo (female head-portering) as major drivers of abuse against women and girls.
He urged parents to prioritize their daughters’ education rather than forcing them into early marriages or migration for head-portering emphasising that “Education remains one of the strongest protections against sexual violence.”
He further explained the impact of sexual violence saying victims often suffered health complications, educational disruption, emotional trauma, and in some cases, single parenthood.
He emphasised that spousal rape was a form of sexual violence stating that “Marriage does not give any man ownership over a woman’s body. Every woman has the right to refuse sex even in marriage.”
Mr Mohammed Fatawu Hamid, Public Health Officer from Ghana Health Service, Gushegu Municipal, explained sexual and reproductive health rights as the freedom to make informed decisions regarding one’s body and sexual health.
He said promoting sexual and reproductive health rights awareness could help reduce child marriages, teenage pregnancies, and sexually transmitted infections.
He encouraged participants to learn about family planning and menstrual health management, and to discuss reproductive health issues openly with their daughters to prevent misinformation and risky practices.
He said “Women and girls must take ownership of their bodies, make informed decisions, and report any form of abuse.”
Mr Daniel Ediem, a CID from the Ghana Police Service, Gushegu Municipal, educated participants on self-protection, setting personal boundaries, and recognizing signs of abuse.
He stated that abuse, whether physical, emotional, or sexual, was about power and control but not love and encouraged victims to seek help by contacting the Ghana Police Service via 191 or 18555, or the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit on 0800 111 222.
He advised participants to “Trust their instincts, leave unsafe situations immediately, and seek support from trusted persons or authorities.”
He also reiterated that spousal rape was a punishable crime under the law emphasising that every survivor had the right to report and receive dignified and confidential assistance.
Participants, during an open discussion, expressed concern about interference from some local leaders in sexual violence cases, which they said often hindered justice for victims.
They called for intensified community awareness campaigns to ensure the message of sexual and reproductive rights reached a wider audience especially in rural areas.
They commended PAORP and AWDF for their support and appealed for more educational sessions to empower women and young girls to speak up and protect their rights.
The workshop ended with a reaffirmation that sexual and reproductive health rights were fundamental human rights, and that promoting awareness, education, and accountability was key to building safer, more equitable communities.
Source: newsghana.com.gh
