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Regional news for Tuesday, January 19, 2021
Source: GNA
2021-01-19
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Girls Not Brides (GNB) Ghana, a national network of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) for the eradication of child marriage, has renewed its calls for the protection of girls in society amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ms. Gertrude Eunice Maasodong, GNB National Chairperson, who made the appeal at her annual AGM in Cape Coast, called on all girls’ well-being stakeholders to complement government and NGO efforts in addressing child marriages.
The AGA has deliberated on innovative strategies to prevent girls from early or forced marriage in Ghana, especially during this global pandemic.
It also reviewed the past year and deliberated on some critical documents which have guided the daily operations of the network such as the constitution, financial policy and administrative manual as well as the strategic plan of the network, which will provide direction for the network. year 2021 and beyond.
It brought together 47 members representing its coordination team of 47 organizations from Ghana’s 16 administrative regions.
Ms. Maasodong said COVID-19 and its associated consequences have been detrimental to progress in reducing child marriage in Ghana, but that greater support from all, especially religious and traditional leaders, will help. dramatically reverse the trend.
“I will take this opportunity to call on traditional and religious leaders to support the efforts of NGOs in your communities of operations, as your cooperation is necessary to ensure a better future for girls and to end child marriage in Ghana,” she declared.
With some successes, Ms. Maasodong said that following the outbreak of the pandemic, a COVID-19 response project was launched, which engaged communities, media and stakeholders on how best to make government efforts to ensure the safety of all, especially girls.
As part of the project activities, donations were made to selected communities in the three administrative areas of GNB Ghana, where food and personal protective equipment (PPE) were distributed.
“We haven’t been able to take on big projects because of the virus, especially because of the initial ‘stay at home’ directive and the physical social distancing as well as the lack of funding to support in these difficult times, but we have still done well in our communities, ”she noted.
Regarding challenges outside of COVID-19, she said engaging stakeholders in communities has now become difficult due to the misconception that NGOs are wealthy organizations, preventing people able to support them. and which had greatly affected their operations.
For her part, Miss Ethel Emefa Ehla, who is the national secretary, called on local businesses, individuals and international organizations to fund what she called their “ life-transforming projects ” so that girls from disadvantaged communities take their rightful place in society. through education and financial support.
“Girls need our help more than ever and it is incumbent on us as members of GNB Ghana to work to mitigate the consequences,” she pleaded.
“GNB Ghana will continue to be the hope and the voice of the speechless girl and will fight harder to see all of Ghana free from child marriage,” she added.
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