The Head of the Department of Anthropology and Sociology at the University of Cape Coast (UCC), Prof. Georgina Yaa Oduro, has called for action to address gender inequality, warning that it exposes girls to child marriage and threatens their education and prospects.

Speaking at an event to mark the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child at Ekon in the Central Region, she said the practice reflected unequal treatment of boys and girls, with girls bearing a disproportionate burden.

“Because why is it that a boy child is not being given out into marriage, but it’s a girl child that is being given out into marriage? So, it is genuinely a gendered issue,” she said.

Prof. Oduro cautioned against using poverty and vulnerability to justify child marriage, saying the practice could deepen deprivation across generations, particularly when girls are unable to complete their education.

“So, if we are not careful and we argue on poverty and vulnerability, we end up compounding the situation, because then we sow and reap the rippling effects of poverty,” she said.

She described education as one way to break the cycle, explaining that it equips girls with knowledge and skills that can improve their prospects, including in entrepreneurship. She added that efforts to end child marriage must begin at home, with parents supporting their daughters’ education and protecting their rights.

Informal unions are also a concern

The celebration was held under the theme, “End Child Marriage and Invest in the Rights of Girls”.

The Central Regional Girl Child Coordinator, Priscilla Cristabel Eshun, warned that child marriage extends beyond formal ceremonies to include informal unions in which girls cohabit with boys and men who have the financial means to support them.

“We want to end child marriage, which is not necessarily giving your daughter in marriage, formal marriage. But also, the informal marriage, where children are cohabiting with boys and men who have the financial standing,” she said.

Ms Eshun urged parents, traditional authorities and other stakeholders to work together to prevent early unions that disrupt girls’ education.

Education Director calls for enforcement of community bylaws

The Central Regional Director of Education, Dr Juliette Dufie Otami, urged traditional authorities to enforce community bylaws aimed at ending child marriage and protecting girls.

Speaking to JoyNews on the sidelines of the event, she said chiefs had considerable influence and should use their authority to ensure that community directives intended to protect children were enforced.

“The challenge we throw to the chiefs is that this is the time their bylaws need to work in the communities. Because we notice that they are now relaxed. They have the power to give out whatever instructions they want our children and our parents to follow,” she said.

Dr Otami said Ekon was selected to host this year’s celebration because of its high incidence of teenage motherhood and low learning outcomes. She said the Directorate wanted to work with the community rather than blame it, stressing that the challenges could not be addressed by schools alone.

She urged parents and guardians to encourage their daughters to remain in school and called on chiefs, elders, religious leaders and other community figures to challenge practices that harm children. She also urged boys to become active partners in respecting and protecting girls.

Dr Otami further called on teachers, particularly male teachers, to act as protectors, mentors and role models. She appealed to stakeholders to keep girls in school, report and resist child marriage, support young mothers who wish to return to the classroom, and invest in children’s education and well-being.

Call to prioritise girls’ aspirations

The event brought together pupils from schools across Cape Coast and Elmina and featured an appeal from the 2026 National Sanitation Diplomat, Nabeeha Erasoung Sulemana Atiah, who urged parents to support girls’ ambitions.

“I want to tell every parent to let their girl child have dreams. Let them go to school to the highest levels to become whatever they want, so they can help their families and the nation at large,” she said.

The guest of honour, Tufohene of the Ekon Traditional Area, Nana Wiabo Kwamena V, also encouraged parents to take a greater interest in girls’ welfare and education.

The event was organised by the Girls Education Unit of the Central Regional Education Service as part of efforts to raise awareness of child marriage and promote girls’ rights.

Stakeholders called for coordinated action by parents, traditional authorities, schools and communities to prevent child marriage, address early cohabitation and ensure that girls can continue their education and pursue their aspirations.