Stakeholders from across Ghana convened at the Anita Hotel, Kumasi, for the 2024 National Stakeholders’ Review Meeting aimed at assessing progress and strategies to end child marriage.
The meeting, organized by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP), was attended by officials, civil society organizations (CSOs), and international partners.
Madam Safia Tamimu, Head of the Child Marriage Unit, delivered the opening statement on behalf of Dr. Afisa Zakariah, Chief Director of the Ministry.
Madam Tamimu warmly welcomed participants and emphasized the importance of reviewing collective efforts.
“It is an honour to gather here as stakeholders to track our progress on ending child marriage in Ghana,” she noted, highlighting the tireless work being done under the National Strategic Framework.
Despite progress, child marriage remains a significant concern in Ghana, where one in five children is married or in a union before 18.
“Child marriage is a violation of fundamental human rights, robbing young girls of their health, education, and future potential,” Madam Tamimu said.
She underscored the gravity behind the statistics: “Behind every figure is a child with dreams, talents, and aspirations taken away.”
Over recent years, the MoGCSP, supported by UNICEF and UNFPA, has led initiatives aimed at mitigating child marriage. Key efforts include a study on social protection interventions such as LEAP and ISS to evaluate their effectiveness in reducing child marriage and a gender analysis of behaviour change programming to enhance gender-transformative strategies.
UNFPA and UNICEF representatives, Madam Doris Aglobitse and Madam Joyce Odame, reinforced the importance of building on Phase II of the Global Programme to End Child Marriage (2020-2023).
As the country moves into Phase III (2024-2030), stakeholders were reminded that while child marriage rates have dropped from 40% in the 1980s to 19.3% in 2018, the prevalence of underage unions persists.
“The 2021 Population and Housing Census revealed that over 120,000 children aged 12-17 were married or cohabitating,” Madam Aglobitse noted.
She called for increased advocacy and enforcement of existing laws to curb the practice.
During the meeting, participants explored the link between adolescent pregnancy and child marriage, with reports indicating that 15.2% of girls aged 15-19 have either given birth or are currently pregnant.
The discussions highlighted that adolescent pregnancies often precede marriage, emphasizing the need for better sexual and reproductive health services.
Looking forward, UNFPA and UNICEF pledged to strengthen their commitment through targeted interventions, including the Promoting Adolescent Safe Spaces (PASS) initiative and more integrated gender-transformative programming.
Engaging traditional leaders and expanding vocational training were noted as critical strategies to empower girls and combat the poverty drivers of child marriage.
Participants at the review meeting agreed that continued collaborative efforts and innovative strategies are needed to eliminate child marriage by 2030.
“We must ask ourselves if we are on course and if not, how we can scale up our efforts,” Madam Odame said.
“Our dedication will determine whether we can bring safety, dignity, and opportunities to every girl dreaming of a brighter future.”
The conference underscored that all stakeholders have a shared responsibility to advocate, protect, and empower young girls.
The two-day workshop concluded with renewed commitments and strategies to address the persistent issue of child marriage across Ghana.
