The Centre for Gender Research, Advocacy and Documentation (CEGRAD) of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) has tasked women leaders to spearhead the campaign against child marriage, sexual and gender-based violence, and other harmful cultural practices that impede the development of their communities.
According to CEGRAD, the attitude of shielding offenders and allowing innocent girls to be married off to men old enough to be their fathers was detrimental to the well-being and development of girls.
To the Centre, it was about time it raise awareness about the negative effects of child marriage, deepened stakeholders’ understanding of the issues, and equipped women leaders with the knowledge and skills needed to fight the scourge.
The Coordinator of Advocacy and Outreach at CEGRAD, Dr. Yvonne Ami Adjakloe, made the remark at a workshop titled, "Empowering Women Leaders to Combat Child Marriage, Gender-based Violence, and Harmful Practices in Cape Coast."
It was organised by CEGRAD, in collaboration with the Central Regional Coordinating Council, and funded by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFP).
The event was attended by queen mothers, religious leaders, assembly members, women, and youth groups, among others.
Dr. Yvonne Ami Adjakloe said winning the fight against child marriage required consistent and accountable stakeholder collaboration.
Dr. Yvonne Ami Adjakloe (with mic) addressing participants
She cautioned community leaders against handling crime, especially defilement, rape, and encouraged that such cases should be promptly reported to the police for the necessary action.
She mentioned various legal provisions, including Section 14 of the Children’s Act, 1998 (ACT 560), the Domestic Violence Act (2007), as well as the Criminal Offences Act and the Human Trafficking Act, among others, to address child marriage.
The Director of CEGRAD, Prof. Eunice Fay Amissah, called for awareness to tackle child marriage across the country and asked participants to use the knowledge acquired at the workshop to deal with child marriage.
As part of the event, a panel discussion was held on the topic:" Addressing Child Marriage, Gender-based Violence, and Harmful Practices in communities."
Discussants at the workshop called on stakeholders to work assiduously towards combating child marriage in the country.
Source: Documentation and Information Section-UCC