PPAG organizes a dialogue with Members of Parliament and Young People on Reproductive Health Education
According to the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDS, 2014), Ghana is characterised by young population with 14% and 13% in 5-9 and 10-14 age groups respectively. Adolescents age 10-19 and young adults 20-24 together constitute 29.3% of Ghana’s population. This youthful population is faced with many challenges particularly sexual and reproductive health; for example; HIV and STIs, mental health, nutrition, teen pregnancy, various forms of violence, child marriage, child labour and many others. In September 2019, a broader public conversation around CSE with varous public statements by organized bodies in opposition to the delivering of CSE in the country led to the withdrawal of the CSE guideline and manual by Government. This situation and the COVID-19 pandemic has seen an increased incidence of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights related challenges including Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, Unplanned pregnancies, unsafe abortions and Sexually Transmitted Infections, with women and young people being the most affected.
The legislative arm of government is a critical institution in the formulation and implementation of Government policies. PPAG organized a dialogue with Members of Parliament of key parliamentary committees. This Advocacy dialogue served as a capacity building session for the MPs on the Key SRHR Policies that Ghana has signed unto as well as a medium to share vital information on the realities of Ghanaian youth with regards to SRHR, seek their support on key policy issues and discussion how to contribute to the realization of Sexual and Reproductive Health of Young People. MPs were successfully engaged on key policies that affect the Reproductive Health of Young People. The need for SRHR education and the high cost of Sanitary Pads became the focus of the discussion. In the end, the MPs pledged to serve as a voice on the floor of parliament in matters relating to Reproductive Health of Young people.
