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Tamale, Ghana – Journalists in the Northern Region of Ghana have been sensitized on their role in advocacy against abuses and all forms of violence against women and children.
This was during a two day workshop held on the 15th and 16th November, 2019, organized by Pan-African Organization for Research and Protection of Violence on Women and Children (PAORP-VWC) in the Northern Regional capital Tamale.
The media sensitization workshop broadened the knowledge of journalists on how to be strategic and tactical in their reportage and dealings with issues of child trafficking, child early and forced marriages amongst other inhuman treatments meted out to women and children in various homes and communities at large.
Lead facilitator for the workshop, Mr. Saaka Mohammed (seasoned journalist) took fellow journalists through the National laws of Ghana as well as International laws and policies that protect the rights of children and the role of the media in creating more public awareness.
However, journalists were advised to be circumspect in their reportage on child right and child right violations, in order that they do not worsen the plight of victims or call for attacks on themselves (journalists) by perpetrators.
They were also taken through methods to communicate with rural communities on the rights of children as well as content production on child trafficking and child marriage, and how to engage stakeholders in curbing the canker.
Dr. Peter Ndonwie, Country Director of PAORP-VWC in his welcome address read on his behalf by Project Officer, Mr. Kenneth said the project is basically to help in addressing child trafficking, child labour, child early and forced marriages, promotion of child education amongst others.
This is a move to compliment Ghana’s commitment to eliminate child, early and forced marriages by 2030 in line with target 5.3 of the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.
A research finding by UNICEF suggests that, 1 in 5 girls aged 20-24 years are married before the age of 18.
While the prevalence of child marriage in Ghana has declined over the past three decades, progress has not been even within regions. The key drivers of child marriage are multiple and multi-faceted and are linked to gender inequality, poverty, social norms, cultural and traditional practices as well as teenage pregnancy.
Every child deserves a fair and equal rights to good parenting, education, security, health, food, shelter amongst others.
For almost 12years of the organization’s existence in Ghana, they have organized community durbars, stakeholder forums and engagements with journalists at district levels of their operational areas, as part of efforts in championing their mandate.
Dr. Ndonwie revealed PAORP-VWC has a branch in Cameroon working in similar areas.
Pan-African Organization for Research and Protection of Violence on Women and Children (PAORP-VWC) is supported by the German Economic Cooperation for Development (BMZ) through the support of Child Rights Africa (KiRA) based in Germany.
By Patience Nawang/ patiencenawang23@gmail.com / 123 FM Tamale
