The Centre for Gender Research, Advocacy and Documentation, CEGRAD of the University of Cape Coast, has organised an adolescent symposium for over 400 Pre-Senior High School and Pre-Tertiary Students within the Cape Coast Metropolis.

The symposium, which forms part of the outreach programme of CEGRAD, was aimed at sensitizing the students on gender-based violence.

The beneficiary students were taken through topics such as Introduction to Life on Secondary School/Tertiary campus, Understanding Gender, Adolescent Reproductive Health and Cohabitation Issues.

 The rest were Communication among Young People and Digital Technology and Safety Issues.

The Central Regional Director for Gender Department, Madam Richlove Amamoo, stressed the need for teenagers to focus on their future goals rather than emulating the behaviour of bad friends. She advised the students to shy away from negative peer influence and said it was sad that some young girls indulged in pre-marital sex resulting in teenage pregnancies and other social problems.

“Everyone has a different destiny hence you should not allow your peers to influence you,” She counselled.

The Central Regional Gender Director tasked the students to take advantage of the opportunities in society to enhance their capabilities for the betterment of humanity.

She urged parents not to shirk their responsibilities towards their children but to ensure that the children had good education, which would ensure their future success. Madam Amamoo also urged parents to be vigilant in ensuring good morals among their female children to enable them to achieve their goals.

She urged all stakeholders to play significant roles in championing the girl child’s education, particularly in deprived communities, for them to be responsible citizens.

The Director for CEGRAD, Dr. Georgina Yaa Oduro, in her remarks, advised young girls to shun their obsession with gifts from irresponsible men, especially during the Christmas festivities.

She said: “You shouldn’t allow your poor circumstances, wanting to get gifts for Christmas trap you into an engagement that will make you regret it forever...”

Master Alex Owusu and Miss Mensah Jacqueline, participants in the symposium, expressed gratitude to CEGRAD for the exposure and promised to share the knowledge with their peers. 

Source: Documentation and Information Section-UCC