Oxfam Ghana, an international non-profit entity, has organised a workshop for partners on a sexual and reproductive health project dubbed Power To Choose.
The 3-day training for key officials of institutions in rights protection in Accra is part of efforts by the human rights organisation to achieve its objective of addressing the increasing problems adolescent girls and young women face with regard to their sexual and productive health needs.
The Power To Choose Project, which is a seven-programme, targets females between the ages of 10-24.
Among its plans, the initiative will sensitise the target group of people on ways of handling Sexual and Gender-based Violence (SGBV) cases and also educate them on Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR). It will also embark on Reproductive Health Education (RHE) to inform young women and adolescent girls about their right to Sexual and Reproductive Health Service (SRHS) information and services.
While considerable progress has been achieved in developing policies, legislations and outcomes, significant gaps in ensuring universal access to reproductive health and rights still exist.
Most young women in the country lack access to comprehensive Reproductive Health Education (RHE) education in terms of access to safe abortion, and sexual violence, among others as they are not subjects of discussions at home and are also not incorporated into the curriculum of schools.
In view of this, Global Affairs Canada is injecting an amount of 7.222 million Canadian Dollars into the seven-year Power To School Project, which started in April 2021 and is expected to end in March 2028.
The Project Coordinator, Fauziatu Abdul-Rahman who took the participants through the workshop indicated that the project hopes to reach out to a total of 14797 young women and adolescent girls.
Besides, the project through the implementing partners will work with community-based groups and selected schools and also provide mentorship training for health professionals and logistic support for one health facility in each of the eight municipalities.
According to madam Abdul-Rahman, although the project is focusing mainly on young women, a total of 11180 young men and adolescent boys will also be reached on positive masculinity to support in helping to propagate RHE in their various communities.
Oxfam is working with five partners on the project. They’re: SEND Ghana, Norsaac, Women in Law and Development Africa (Wildaf), Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG) and Participatory Action for Rural Development Alternatives (PARDA).
Ghana and six other countries; Honduras, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Bolivia, Jordan, Lebanon and Palestinian territories (OPT) are responsible for the implementation of the project.
It has targeted eight municipalities in five regions; Greater Accra, Central, Bono East, Northern and North East regions made up of Ashaiman, Sene East, Cape Coast, Awutu-Effutu-Senya, Techiman, Savelugu, Sagnarigu and West Mamprusi.
At the end of the seven years, the Power To Choose project strives to strengthen the capacity of women and youth organisations and movements in research and advocacy based on their needs and priorities in the area of SRHR.
