The Chief Executive Officer of the National Youth Authority, Mr. Pius Enam Hadzide has said heightened risks of premature labour, spontaneous abortions, stillbirths, the development of fistulas and higher rates of maternal mortality which are associated with teenage pregnancies all constitute a major threat to the health and well-being of young female adolescents and raises grave concerns in relation to Goal 3 of the SDGs.
Mr. Hadzide made the remarks during the launch of the “Safeguarding the Teenage Girl” campaign as part of activities to mark this year’s Africa Youth Day commemoration which was held at the Center for National Culture in Cape Coast.
He said the scourge of teenage pregnancies has remained a major hinderance to the full development of African women, particularly Ghanaian women and that has contributed immense to them realizing their utmost potential.
“Today, on the fifteenth anniversary of the Africa Youth Day, I am extremely delighted to be here with you in this historic city of Cape Coast, a city that connects continental Africans to Africans everywhere, to observe AYD 2021” Hadzide stated.
Speaking on the continental theme for this year’s commemoration, Mr. Hadzide intimated that in keeping with the general theme of the AU Agenda 2063, that the theme for this year “Defining the Future Today: Youth-led Solutions for Building the Africa We Want” was settled on.
“Distinguished guests, it is in realizing that protecting the teenage girl today will produce the educated, independent and innovative African woman we want tomorrow that has informed our local rendition of the theme for today “Safeguarding the Teenage Girl: A Clarion Call to Action”. By this, we firmly believe that future Ghanaian women and by extension African women will be defined by their full participation in all spheres of economic, social and political life” Hon. Hadzide stated.
Hon. Justina Marigold Assan, Central Regional Minister who was Special Guest at the event was hopeful that participants will be well equipped and become ambassadors and peer educators in their respective communities, schools and homes to effect change on sexual reproductive health rights issues.
“I wish to assure the National Youth Authority that the Central Regional Coordinating Council is ever ready to collaborate and support them in all their youth programmes and activities. More so, we wish to organize a training a training programme for queen-mothers in the near future in order to encourage them to support our educational drive in reducing teenage pregnancies in their communities” the Hon. Minister concluded.
There were messages from partners such as World Vision International and Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana with Osabarima Kwesi Atta ll, Omanhen of Oguaa Traditional Area as chairman for the occasion.
