The Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council has partnered with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to roll out its 8th Country Programme which seeks to end preventable maternal deaths, child marriage and gender-based violence.
The intervention aims to strengthen the capacity of national and subnational government systems, and institutions, through policy and accountability by 2027.
It also seeks to strengthen mechanisms and capacities of government and non-government actors, institutions and data systems to address discriminatory gender and social norms in advancing gender equality and women’s decision-making by 2027.
The UNFPA 8th Country Programme will strengthen the skills, opportunities and data systems for adolescents and youth to ensure bodily autonomy, leadership and participation, and build human capital by 2027.
The 8th Country Programme would be rolled out in connection with selected Municipal and District Assemblies in Accra by building the capacity of their health systems to monitor selected family planning and emergency obstetric and newborn care indicators to enhance evidence-based advocacy, policy, planning and accountability and accelerate progress towards ending unmet need for family planning and preventable maternal and perinatal deaths.
The capacity of health facilities designated as model health centres in the network of practice framework would be enhanced to provide quality basic emergency obstetric and newborn care services.
By 2027 the policy would have supported the effective implementation and coordination of laws, policies and frameworks that promote gender equality and empower women and girls; strengthening national and subnational institutions, including national non-governmental organizations and women’s rights organizations to deliver integrated gender-based violence information, prevention and response services.
Enhancing the capacity of vulnerable adolescent girls to participate in gender-transformative programming to build their agency; and building effective partnerships with relevant stakeholders, including faith-based organisations, traditional leaders, women and youth groups, and men and boys to challenge discriminatory gender and sociocultural norms are some of the key interventions under the scheme.
In her remarks at the GOG, UNFPA 8th Country Programme Inception Meeting, the Chief Director of the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council, Lillian Baeka noted “I believe that by working together, we can create a better future for all. We must prioritize the needs of the most vulnerable and ensure that no one is left behind. We join the UNFPA to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled”.
Over the years, the UNFPA has played a crucial role in promoting reproductive health, gender equality, and youth empowerment in Ghana, Lilian Baeka believes that this new Country Programme will build on the successes chalked over the period.
On her part, the Program Specialist for Adolescents and Youth at the UNFPA, Adwoa Yenyi states “that No woman should die giving life. We are committed to eliminating maternal mortality by strengthening healthcare systems, improving the quality of maternal health services, and addressing the socio-cultural barriers that hinder women’s access to care”.
The Collaborative efforts between the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council and the UNFPA would enable them to reach the most vulnerable populations, innovate solutions to complex challenges, and ensure that interventions are culturally sensitive and contextually appropriate.
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