By: Seraphine Nyuiemedi
Parental neglect has been identified as one of the major contributors of teenage pregnancy in recent years. Parents must ensure they provide for the physical, mental, financial and even spiritual needs of their children and imbibe in them good morals to become useful citizens.
The Volta Regional Department of Gender has therefore organized a sensitization forum for 351 students of the Have Technical Institute on Sexual and Gender Based Violence and the dangers associated with teenage pregnancy among other topics.
A student of the Have Technical Institute in the Afadjato South District of the Volta Region, Peace encouraged parents and guardians to dedicate more time to the needs of their children, especially, the girl child to prevent them from falling victims to teenage pregnancy.
”A situation whereby some parents spend most of their time at work without the knowledge of what goes on in their ward’s life is a critical issue that needs urgent attention”, according to Miss Peace.
The programme christened “Camp Convo” was organised by the Department of Gender in partnership with the Department of Children, Ghana Education Service and the Ghana Health Service with funding from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
The Volta Regional Director for the Department of Gender, Thywill Eyra Kpe who took them through the dangers associated with early sex and the laws that regulate sex urged them to abstain so as not to jeopardise their education.
A participant, Dogbeda Grace called on parents to create the enabling environment to enable them to freely open up on issues that have to do with their reproductive health.
The Volta Regional Director for the Department of Children, Israel Akrobortu advised parents to develop keen interest in the daily activities of their wards to prevent cases of abuse.