‘Engage children on aspects of reproductive health’
The Co-ordinator of Her Choice Project, a non-governmental organisation based in Holland, Miss Catelijne Mittendorff, has advised parents not to shy away from discussing reproductive health issues with their children.
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She asked parents to face the realities of life and be open about sexual issues because young people are curious about sex.
Miss Mittendorff was speaking in an interview with the Junior Graphic as part of her inspection tour of Akode, a beneficiary community of Her Choice Project in the Eastern Region. The tour was to interact with schoolchildren, parents and the project epicentre executive, to ascertain how the venture was being implemented in Ghana.
The project is a flagship venture of The Hunger Project which seeks to invest in girls in their acquisition of skills and participation in the society.
The five-year project, which is being piloted in 14 epicentres in the Eastern and Central regions, is also to train women in alternative livelihood income sources to enable them to be self-sufficient.
Miss Mittendorff observed that teenage pregnancy is a big problem in Ghana and attributed the current situation to the fact that most parents found it difficult to advise their children to abstain from sex.
She said statistics showed that 20 per cent of young people at the age of 16 years were involved in sexual activities.
She pointed out that it was very difficult for girls because once they became pregnant, continuing their education and making a career in the future was often difficult.
The Country Director of the Hunger Project, Mr Samuel Erasmus Afranie, said the enthusiasm showed by the beneficiary communities was an indication that the objective of the project would be achieved.
He explained that so many things had changed over the years and young people needed to be taught about reproductive health issues in order to make informed decisions.