Accra: The Alliance for Reproductive Health Rights (ARHR) has organised a regional policy dialogue in the Oti Region to strengthen collaboration among stakeholders in addressing barriers to reproductive health education and preventing gender-based violence (GBV).
According to Ghana News Agency, the dialogue brought together representatives of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), the Ghana Education Service (GES), the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service, civil society organisations (CSOs), traditional authorities, the Department of Gender, Children and Social Protection, and other key stakeholders.
Speaking at the event, Nana Oye Gyimah, Communications officer at ARHR, highlighted that access to comprehensive and age-appropriate reproductive health education (RHE) remains a major challenge for many adolescents and young people in Ghana due to persistent misconceptions, cultural norms, stigma, and resistance from some parents, caregivers, and community leaders.
Nana Gyimah noted that gender-based violence remains a significant public health and human rights concern, adversely affecting the health, safety, and socio-economic development of women, girls, and other vulnerable groups across the country. She stressed the necessity for stronger collaboration among policymakers, civil society organisations, healthcare providers, traditional leaders, and community members to improve policy implementation, strengthen accountability, and promote evidence-based interventions.
Facilitating a session on reproductive health education, Madam Esther Hammond, Acting Oti Regional Director of the Department of Gender, Children and Social Protection, called for intensified collaboration to eliminate misconceptions surrounding reproductive health and encourage open, informed discussions among parents, teachers, and adolescents. She urged stakeholders to work together to create safe and supportive environments where adolescents could freely seek guidance without fear of stigma or discrimination.
Participants of the dialogue observed that gender-based violence, child marriage, and other harmful practices continue to undermine the health, education, and prospects of many young people, particularly girls. They called for the full integration of comprehensive reproductive health education into the school curriculum, complemented by practical life-skills education to help adolescents make informed decisions, develop healthy relationships, and avoid risky behaviours.
The dialogue concluded with several recommendations aimed at strengthening institutional responses to reproductive health education and GBV prevention. Participants expressed confidence that implementing these recommendations would help reduce gender-based violence, improve adolescent reproductive health outcomes, and create safer, healthier, and more supportive communities for children and young people across the Oti Region.