The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has intensified community engagement activities in the Chereponi District to address challenges affecting adolescents’ growth and development.

The engagement focused on promoting behavioural change to address barriers to accessing accurate information on sexual and reproductive health, gender equality, and the prevention of gender-based violence (GBV).

The outreach formed part of a project being implemented by the NCCE in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), with funding support from Global Affairs Canada, to promote positive behavioural change and create safer environments for adolescents.

The exercise brought together more than 100 participants, including traders, transport operators, and other community members in Chereponi, where facilitators engaged them on adolescent sexual and reproductive health rights (ASRHR), family planning, and the need to combat harmful social practices.

Mr Sulemana Abdulai, Chereponi District Director of the NCCE, said the programme sought to empower adolescents and communities with accurate information to help young people make informed decisions while preventing teenage pregnancy, sexual abuse, and gender-based violence.

He said the initiative also provided a platform for interaction between community members and health professionals, enabling participants to seek clarification on reproductive health issues and discuss cultural practices that affect adolescents.

Mr Abdulai said the engagement contributed to improving public understanding of adolescent reproductive health and gender-based violence, challenged harmful misconceptions, and encouraged community members to play active roles in preventing abuse and supporting young people.

He, however, noted that holding the programme at a busy market and transport hub posed some challenges, as traders were reluctant to leave their stalls because of business commitments and weather conditions.

Mr Abdulai recommended the adoption of a “walk-and-talk” approach for future market outreaches to enable traders to receive information without abandoning their businesses.

He also called for the continued involvement of qualified health professionals to enhance the credibility and effectiveness of community education programmes.

Health professionals at the event used the forum to dispel misconceptions about family planning, particularly the belief that contraceptive use causes fibroids, while emphasising the importance of reproductive rights and access to healthcare services.

Officials from the Ghana Health Service and the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service also educated participants on the various forms of gender-based violence, including economic abuse, domestic violence, and the denial of reproductive autonomy.

They encouraged residents to report cases of abuse and support efforts to protect women, girls, and other vulnerable members of society.

Mr Samuel Mahama, Officer-in-Charge of the Chereponi Hospital, urged community members to rely on qualified health professionals for information on family planning and reproductive health rather than myths and misinformation.

He explained that family planning methods affected individuals differently because of variations in body chemistry, noting that while a particular method might work effectively for one person, another might experience side effects and require a different option.

Chief Inspector Kingsley Kanda, Officer in charge of DOVVSU at the Chereponi District Police Command, educated participants on the various forms of gender-based violence.

He explained that abuse extended beyond physical assault to include economic deprivation, emotional abuse, and the denial of a person’s right to make informed reproductive health decisions.

Chief Inspector Kanda encouraged victims and witnesses to report cases promptly to the appropriate authorities for protection and redress.

The outreach attracted 103 participants, comprising 47 males and 56 females, with people from different age groups taking part in discussions on adolescent health and social protection.