LIVE CHAT WITH EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PPAG ON IWD 2019
As every year offers the opportunity to celebrate and honour at different levels of capacities and around the globe; it will be very prudent to acknowledge the powerful and strong women who have over the years shown so much commitment in advancing the course of women and young girls. The theme for the 2019 International Women’s Day celebration was dubbed “Think Equal, Build Smart, Innovate for Change”.
The Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG), as the leading CSO in the Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in Ghana, sees the day as an opportunity to influence and impact the lives of girls in pursuing gender equality and create safe spaces for them to think equal, build smart and to innovate for change. In line with this, the Executive Director of Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana, Abena Adubea Acheampong, shared her thoughts and the organizational directions in empowering young girls growing up into adulthood during a live chat on Facebook and Twitter to commemorate the day.
During the live chat, she spoke about her mother being her inspiration as a young child and modelled after her mother to become a teacher. While growing up, she faced a lot of challenges that threatened to cut off her future dreams. One of such being when her father lost his job and the entire family had to rely solely on the income of her mother.
She also recounted time that she had to hawk and do menial jobs in order to earn some money to continue schooling. For her, dropping out of school was not an option for her and hence did everything within her power to go to school. When asked the question about whether she had any regrets about her career or if she would do anything differently, she replied, “I don’t think so. I love what I do, I get a bonus for what I do. I get paid for the job I love to do.”
Madam Acheampong emphatically stated that there is no difference fundamentally between boys and girls that limits the girl child in thinking, actualizing their thoughts and being innovative, but our society is skewed towards the boy child and hence limits the girl child.
She concluded by saying that we must deliberately work to break cultural barriers that hinders the girl child to empower them to reach their full potential.
To watch the full video, please click the link https://www.facebook.com/PPAGh/videos/1273446466128073/?sfnsn=mo
