Upper east: The Sexual Health and Reproductive Education (SHARE) Project, implemented by Right to Play, has recorded significant improvements in adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) knowledge, decision-making, and service uptake in beneficiary communities in the Upper East Region.
According to Ghana News Agency, Right to Play, an international non-profit organization, is at the forefront of this initiative, using the power of play to protect, educate, and empower children to overcome adversity. The five-year SHARE Project (2021-2026), funded by the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada, aims to advance gender equality by improving access to sexual and reproductive health education and gender-responsive healthcare for young people, particularly girls and women, in Ghana, Mozambique, and Uganda.
Presenting findings from the Ghana Endline Evaluation, Professor Duah Dwomoh, Technical Lead at D and D Statistical Consulting Services Limited, highlighted that adolescent SRHR remains a significant public health challenge due to limited access to services, weak implementation of relevant laws and policies, and persistent negative social norms. He disclosed that Ghana recorded more than 542,000 pregnancies among girls aged 15 to 19, and over 13,000 pregnancies among girls aged 10 to 14 between 2016 and 2020.
The SHARE Project was introduced to bridge these gaps by combining education, healthcare services, and community action to equip adolescents, families, communities, and health systems with the knowledge and support needed to improve sexual and reproductive health outcomes while strengthening accountability. In Ghana, the project reached 1,240 adolescents and young people aged between 10 and 24 years, 356 caregivers, 381 teachers, and health facilities across the Builsa North Municipality, Kasena-Nankana Municipality, Kasena-Nankana West District, and Bongo District in the Upper East Region.
The evaluation showed that SRHR knowledge among beneficiaries increased by 18 percentage points, confidence in seeking SRHR services rose by 21 percentage points, perceived family support improved by 25 percentage points, while participation in social action forums increased by 20 percentage points. Autonomous decision-making on SRHR issues also improved by 35 percentage points. "At the end of the project, adolescents could make informed decisions about their sexual lives and insist that their partners use condoms or other contraceptive methods to prevent unintended pregnancies," Prof. Dwomoh stated.
However, Prof. Dwomoh cautioned that many adolescents remain more concerned about preventing pregnancy than sexually transmitted infections (STIs), with some relying on emergency contraceptives instead of adopting safer and more sustainable preventive measures.
Madam Khadija Hamidu, Area Project Manager of Right to Play, explained that the SHARE Project was implemented by a consortium led by Right to Play in partnership with WaterAid, the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE), and FHI 360, a nonprofit organization. The consortium worked in 200 schools, 87 health facilities, and with community structures, including religious leaders, youth groups, and the media, to ensure broad-based participation and inclusiveness.
Madam Hamidu emphasized that the project's sustainability was strengthened by leveraging existing structures such as the Ghana Education Service's School Health Education Programme and the Ghana Health Service's adolescent health services. "Young people now understand their bodies better, know where to seek help, and are confident enough to educate and advise their peers. They are asking questions and serving as role models within their communities," she remarked.
The consortium also trained media practitioners on the ethical reporting of SRHR issues, strengthened stakeholders' capacity to monitor interventions, and handed over tools to facilitate the continuation of the project's activities. Madam Hamidu noted that the dissemination of the evaluation findings at the regional and national levels was intended to encourage stakeholders to sustain the interventions and incorporate the lessons learned into future policies and programs.
"We are hopeful that the positive results achieved in the Upper East Region will encourage stakeholders to expand similar interventions to other parts of the country," she expressed. She appealed to the Government to allocate adequate resources to support youth groups and vulnerable populations through civil society organizations to strengthen sexual and reproductive health education and safeguard the welfare of young people nationwide.