Human Rights Reporters Ghana (NGO)

Year: 2021

  • 2021 Int’l Day of the Girl Child: Safeguard the rights of girls for a brighter future-Human Rights Reporters Ghana

    2021 Int’l Day of the Girl Child: Safeguard the rights of girls for a brighter future-Human Rights Reporters Ghana

    For Immediate Release October 11, 2021
    To All Media Houses

    2021 Int’l Day of the Girl Child: Safeguard the rights of girls for a brighter future-Human Rights Reporters Ghana
     
    As the world commemorate this year’s International Day of the Girl Child, a day dedicated to the growth of girls around the world, we at the Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG) fully demonstrates our solidarity towards the welfare of all girls across the world.
     
    The selection of this year’s theme: “Digital generation. Our generation” which focuses on the rights, safety and education of girls around the world is by no means a coincidence but appropriate and timely especially at a time the world is busily embracing technology to advance its cause.     
     
    In accordance with the resounding theme, we at the Human Rights Reporters Ghana are calling for equal access to the internet and digital devices for girls and targeted investments to facilitate opportunities for girls safely and meaningfully access, use, lead and design technology. 
     
    According to the United Nations, even in the post-COVID-19 era that saw many businesses and education moving online, “2.2 billion people below the age of 25 still do not have internet access at home”. The report further stated that, girls are more likely to be cut off and less likely to “own and use devices” leading to a gender divide within the digital divide. 
     
    As we mark this momentous day, we are humbly appealing to the authorities to help prioritize the issues of the girl child and ensure their rights are safeguarded for a brighter future.
     
    The phenomenon of kidnapping, rape, forced/child marriage, teenage pregnancy and other social vices which lower the dignity of our girls must be dealt with dispassionately to forestall its occurrence.
     
    At a recent event, Country Director of Days for Girls Ghana, a non-profit organization, Ms. Sandra Boakye lamented unfavorable policies on menstrual hygiene products which is a concern calling on government to scrap the 20% luxury tax imposed on it to ensure that these products reach women and girls around the country.
     
    HRRG believes that this initiative would help create avenues to eradicate the stigma and limitations of girls and women for improved health, education and livelihood.
     
    Access to education, healthcare services, skill-based learning facilities, equal opportunities, shields against deception, gender-based violence and discrimination.
     
    HRRG equally believes that women and girls are breaking boundaries and tackling issues every day, thus with a helping hand the gender gap grows compact.
     
    Finally, we urge leaders from civil society, government and the private sector to make commitments to build more inclusive digital societies through providing equitable opportunities to girls, investing in feminist technology and putting girls and young women at the centre of designing and learning solutions for the digital world. 
     
     Thank you

    Signed

    Joseph Kobla Wemakor
    Executive Director
    Tel: 0243676813

  • Prioritize issues of menstrual hygiene, remove 20% luxury tax on its products-Gov’t urged

    Prioritize issues of menstrual hygiene, remove 20% luxury tax on its products-Gov’t urged

    The Country Director of Days for Girls Ghana (DFG), a non-profit organization, Sandra Boakye has called on government to urgently respond to the plight of women and girls and ensure the complete removal of 20% luxury tax on menstrual hygiene product into the country to allow free-flow, easy access and use of women and girls during their menstrual cycle periods.

     According to her, this would go a long way to help address the issues of menstrual hygiene health that our women and girls are confronted with on a daily basis to advance their good health and well-being in the country at all times.

    She made this known while addressing a capacity building session organized by her outfit for some selected journalists representing a cross section of the Ghanaian media in Accra on Monday September 20, 2021.    

     The beneficiaries were drawn from media houses such as GTV, Metro TV, Atinka TV, ATV, Sena Radio online, Ghanaian Times, Onua TV/Radio, 3FM/TV3 and the Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG). 

    The overall objectives of the training workshop was to build capacity of the media on menstrual health issues in Ghana and well position them to help educate the public as well as hold stakeholders accountable. 

    The participants were enlightened on a number of issues including the activities of the Days for Girls Ghana, menstrual health issues in Ghana, women’s reproductive health rights, highlights on the key role of media as a tool in promoting Menstrual Health Management (MHM) in Ghana and education on sustainable menstrual hygiene products. 

    The beneficiaries also had the opportunity to tour the Days for the Girls (DFG) washable pad production facility to familiarize themselves with their operation. 

    They were also introduced to the reusable pads produced by the organization through demonstration on how it works and its effectiveness in helping address the challenges of girls and women during the time of their menstrual cycle. 

    Issues of Menstrual Hygiene Health Management remains a major challenge for women and girls not only in Ghana but globally.

    Although menstrual hygiene is fundamental to the dignity, health and wellbeing of women and girls, yet managing menstruation by girls and women is another hurdle.

     Most particularly, this is a dramatic issue in Ghana where the barrier of access to menstrual care and education can have far-reaching consequences in basic hygiene, sanitation and reproductive health. 

    Despite vigorous awareness creation efforts in Ghana, menstruation is still often considered a taboo subject, with many negative cultural attitudes associated; e.g. that menstruating women and girls are ‘contaminated’, ‘dirty’ and ‘impure’.

    This has resulted in perpetuated community stigma and sanctions (in some cases) for women and girls having their periods.

    At the height of the numerous barriers exacerbating menstrual hygiene management lies misconceptions and myths, lack of access to safe and hygienic products for most women and girls globally, lack of adequate Menstrual Health Hygiene Education, Products and Infrastructure as well as favourable policies to support menstruation at the community as well as institutional level.

    Demystifying these barriers and more  requires a more coordinated approach by all stakeholders including the Media, Civil Society Organisations, NGOs, Government, Traditional Authorities, the Academia, Corporate Institutions, Individuals among others to holistically put the issue at rest.

    It is on this backdrop that the Days for Girls Ghana (DFG), a non-profit organization has held a maiden capacity building for the selected media practitioners drawn from the mainstream media across the country.

    Addressing the participants, Country Director of Days for Girls Ghana, Sandra Boakye charged the media to help prioritize menstrual hygiene issues; report effectively and efficiently on them to create the needed awareness it deserves to enable the authorities take urgent actions to resolve its numerous hitches which are barriers to dignity, health and well-being of our women and girls.

    Ms. Boakye equally appealed to the government to demonstrate commitment towards issues pertaining to menstrual hygiene and access to its products to advance the health and well-being of women and girls in the country at all cost.

    While lamenting the unfavourable policies on menstrual hygiene products which is a major gap (for example menstrual hygiene products subjected to 20% luxury tax), she urgently called on government to move swiftly into action and help scrap the 20% luxury tax to ensure the free flow of these products in the country to reach women and girls in every nook and cranny of the country without any glitches to end the menstrual hygiene health management issues the country is bedevilled with.

    Amdiya Abdul Latiff, the officer in charge of Advocacy and Communication at Days for Girls Ghana encourages the participants to always endeavour to hold the government accountable in provision of WASH facilities and waste management as well as strongly advocate for the provision of free sanitary towels in schools.

    For his part, Mr. Stephen Koranteng, Project Coordinator of Days for Girls Ghana questioned government’s commitment in terms of contribution towards the achievement of the Agenda 2030 when obviously it has not done enough to show his commitment in addressing issues of menstrual hygiene health management which he believes has linkages with the SDGs.

    “How can you say that your commitment towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is on course while forgetting about tackling issues of menstrual hygiene health management when we are aware that at least five (5) of the SDGs; poverty, well-being, quality education, clean water and sanitation and economic growth are directly linked to these issues”.

    He therefore challenged the government to help prioritize menstrual hygiene health management issues affecting the country in recognition of his efforts towards realization of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

    Days for Girls Ghana is poised to help increase access to sexual and reproductive health education by developing global partnerships, cultivating social enterprises, mobilizing volunteers and innovating sustainable solutions that shatter stigma and limitations for women and girls for improved health, education and livelihoods.

    With the mission of turning periods into pathways of dignity, health and education, DFG is envisioned to create a world with dignity, health and opportunity for all believing in a world where periods are never a problem. In addition to that, a world where menstruators have knowledge, products and supportive environments to manage their periods.

    The organization currently operates in the Greater Accra, Eastern, Central, Northern and Upper East Regions and has imparted the lives of 28,525 girls and 20,132 boys through menstrual health and hygiene education in Ghana and 34,047 menstrual kits distributed in beneficiaries’ communities. 

    The NGO has successfully implemented these outreach activities, in rural and urban centers, schools, markets and with other civil society organizations which include Plan Ghana, WaterAid, Ghana Education Service, Actionaid, Women in Law and Development in Africa, Right to Play Ghana and Rotary International among others.

  • GAYO, GYEM, Human Rights Reporters Ghana, et al. mark World Cleanup Day 2021; rid Labadi Beach of pollutants

    GAYO, GYEM, Human Rights Reporters Ghana, et al. mark World Cleanup Day 2021; rid Labadi Beach of pollutants

    The Green Africa Youth Organization (GAYO) together with (9) other Civil Society Organisations in the country have partnered to rid the Labadi beach of filth on Saturday, September 18, a day set aside globally to commemorate the World Cleanup Day.

    This was out of a move intended to mark this year’s World Cleanup Day which equally emanated from an initiative dubbed, “GAYO Ghana Brand Audit 2021”, which brought together hundreds of youths to the shores of the Atlantic Ocean who engaged in a thorough clean-up of the beach to rid it of plastic pollutants and debris. 

     The exercise which was conducted on the theme: “The Ocean Home for Fishes, Not Plastics” also witnessed the participants engaged in plastic waste sorting and auditing to ascertain the largest brand polluter and make recommendations to remedy the situation as part of the global break free from plastic campaign.

     The partnering Civil Society Organizations include La Dade Kotopon Municipal, Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG), Young Reporters for the Environmental Ghana – YRE – Ghana, Ghana Youth Environment Movement – GYEM, United Youth Initiative Africa, Sesa Recycling, Nexd’Or, Let’s do it Ghana, McGharbins Network and Youth Climate Council (YCC).

     As part of the activities, the public was also educated on how to avoid, reduce, repurpose and divert waste from the oceans and dams for income generation.

     The Co-founder and programs manager of GAYO, Mr. Desmond Alugnoa said the brand audit is aimed at naming and shaming the largest polluters of the planet.

     Mr. Alugnoa who doubles as the coordinator for the African Member Support Program under the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) said GAYO is against single-use plastics, adding, “we do not need single-use plastic and we cannot live with single-use plastic”.

    “People should stop portraying that waste as a form of single-use plastic is a resource, it’s not a resource from start to finish”, he emphasized. 

     He called on African state leaders to be bold and adopt alternatives to single-use plastics. 

    “There are alternatives that can switch single-use plastics…if you are a leader you need to be unafraid, you need to not feel threatened by activities that would promote your country…It does not matter who is behind these brands, it does not matter how big the companies are, as a President or a leader you have to take the bull by the horn- which is, allow the alternatives to exist and promote those alternatives because those alternatives are largely led by the youth and informal waste sectors to create more jobs for your economy.” 

     He noted that some of the collected plastics would be converted to products that are of market value such as raincoats, bags and pens to bring revenue to homes and communities.

    A representative of the La Dade Kotopon Municipal Assembly (LADMA) – the host municipality, Mr. Francis Lawrence Tetteh was elated about the initiative and called on community members as well as beach users to avoid polluting the ocean and practice proper waste management beginning from their homes.

     Mr. Tetteh assured the public of the assemblies’ efforts to reduce the amount of waste entering the ocean and noted that persons caught in willful pollution of the ocean would be made to face the full rigorous of the law to serve as a deterrent to others. 

    The Executive of Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG), Mr. Joseph Kobla Wemakor in a telephone interview lauded GAYO for the swift initiative which he alluded to as a solution to one of the greatest problems the country is faced with. 

     He charged all and sundry to join the campaign and even become ambassadors, to see it work to achieve its objectives and above all a lasting solution 

    The participants expressed joy at the success of the event and called for a collective effort to protect the environment while equally appealing to the duty-bearers and policymakers to step in and help address the issue of single-use plastics urgently.

    Source:Alexander Bombande

  • Ghanaian rights activist to speak among acclaimed activists at a global conference on SDGs and Agenda 2063

    Ghanaian rights activist to speak among acclaimed activists at a global conference on SDGs and Agenda 2063

    A celebrated Ghanaian human rights activist cum peace ambassador, Joseph Kobla Wemakor has been tipped among hosts of global human rights activists, speakers and ambassadors of peace to address issues of human rights, sustainable development, peace and justice in Africa at a maiden International conference focused on human rights, Agenda 2030 (SDGs) as well as Agenda 2063.

    Dubbed: “the 1st African Legal Conference on SDGs and Agenda 2063” (ALCSA), is a two days virtual conference rallying hosts of distinguished human rights activists together to discuss and proffer solutions to most of the Africa’s pressing issues which ought to be addressed with the aim of bringing Africa closer to achieving both the Agenda 2030 (SDGs) and the Agenda 2063.

    The much anticipated seminar is planned to hold virtually from Thursday, 29th of July to Friday 30th July, 2021 on the theme: “Achieving the Pan-African Vision for Peace, Justice and Sustainable Development”.

    It is being held in pursuit of attaining the Pan African Vision of “An integrated, prosperous, and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens, representing a dynamic force in the international arena”, according to its organizers.

    Joseph would be sharing a panel with hosts of notable global activists/speakers including Halimatou Hima, Minister Counsellor of the Permanent Mission of Niger to the UN, Emeka Obegolu, President, Pan-African Lawyers Union, Nahjae Nunes, UN Youth Advisor for SDGs and 2030 Goals, Imane El Khantouti, Space Systems Engineer and R&D Projects Manager, Dr Daniel C. Gbuije, Founder Team54Project and Allen Herbert, Vice President of Business Development and Strategy at Nanorocks.

    It also include Jake Effoduh, Vanier Scholar, Osgoode Hall Law School, Canada, Thiruna Naidoo, Project Officer, SOGIESC Unit Associate:Communications and Advocacy, Gideon Baleke, Executive Director of Rooth Investment Company and Congolese Young Leaders Organization and Dominic Kudom, the National Point of Contact, Ghana Corporate Member, Ghana Institute of Planners.

    Mr. Wemakor who doubles as the Executive Director of Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG), National SDGs champion, a seasoned journalist, a staunch human rights activist and the Head of Media and Communication of the PLO Lumumba Foundation Ghana Chapter among others would be enlightening over 500 participants who are expected to join the live feat virtually from across the African continent and beyond on the topic “Respect For Human Rights, Peace, And Justice In Africa”.

    The staunch human rights activist has participated and vividly represented Ghana in series of  conferences across the globe including the Summit on South Korea: Covid 19 and Human Rights Abuses, (virtual), 2020 UN High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on SDGs, 24th Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL) Peace Day (virtual), African Climate Risks Conference(Addis Ababa), Media Workshop on Intra-African Trade (Casablanca-Morocco) and Workshop on Self-Strength, Adaptive, and Transformational Leadership(US).

    Mr. Wemakor has led several initiatives which brought about respect for human rights, peace, freedom and justice in and beyond the borders of Ghana. In 2020, he led an advocacy campaign
    to put pressure on the South Korean Authorities which saw the release of Shincheonji church leader, Mr Lee Man-hee (Chairman Lee) from incarceration upon excuse that his actions had contributed to bringing coronavirus into the country.

    The letter inviting him to speak at the event from its organizers partly reads: “It is our honour to invite you as one of our panellists to the first ever African Legal Conference on SDGs & Agenda 2063″. “We know that you are a terrific speaker and our attendees and delegates will gain much from your talk and contributions”.

     According to the organizers, their goal is to provoke discussions on issues of Good Governance, Democracy, Respect for Human Rights, Peace, Justice, Strong Institutions, and the Rule of Law.

    The 1st African Legal Conference on SDGs & Agenda 2063 is an initiative of Goals Afrika with THE LAW (a firm in Egypt) in partnership with Harvard African Law Association, Centre for African Justice, Peace and Human Right, the Federation of African Law Students Association and Black Interns Matter.

    With an estimate of over 500 attendees, the 2021 ALCSA will bring together students, entrepreneurs, legal practitioners, young professionals, Africans in the Diaspora, media, heads of key continental and global institutions, pan-African unions, and youth councils, UN and AU leaders, civil society and private sectors partners, etc.

    The conference aims to connect and inspire people to collectively take action in implementing the Global Goals and Agenda 2063 at the African continental level.

    Goals Afrika is a global, non-profit organization registered in South Africa, committed to working to achieve Agenda 2030 and Agenda 2063 in Africa through citizen diplomacy initiatives.

    All those who wished to participate in the 20211st African Legal Conference on SDGs and Agenda 2063 are encouraged to register here: 

    Source:Goals Afrika

  • Human Rights Reporters Ghana calls for proper investigation into alleged assault and battery by military personnel on unarmed protesting students

    Human Rights Reporters Ghana calls for proper investigation into alleged assault and battery by military personnel on unarmed protesting students

    Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG) has been following the media space with grave concern on the alleged cases of assault and battery on unarmed students in Kumasi Senior High School protesting the Ghana Education Service (GES) directives to keep them in school for their mid-semester break instead of going home.

    The report in the media landscape suggests alleged physical and psychological abuse on the school girls’. Some students granted interviews in which they revealed that soldiers broke into their dormitory, pulled some of them out, caned them and even stepped on their abdomens.

    As far as one is quick to dismiss such accounts as a figment of the students’ imagination and over exaggeration, HRRG is therefore calling for a proper investigation into these allegations, rightly so because of the military’s earlier reported involvement in similar human right abuses in Wa and in Ejura.

    We cannot deny the crucial role the police and other legally mandated institutions play in protecting properties and maintaining peace and order in our country. As a matter of law by virtue of section 35 of Act 29 the police as a peace officer is mandated to use necessary force to maintain order, however if the accounts given by the students prove to be true then the security personnel involved overstepped their bounds and certainly may have committed assault and battery by virtue of section 84 to 87 of Act 29.

    As earlier stated, the relevant authorities should thoroughly investigate the claims of these students to forestall similar alleged abuses from ever happening in our schools bearing in mind the trauma and physical injury associated with such acts on victims especially minors.

    Also HRRG pleads with our armed forces, especially the soldiers, to stay away from duties and roles specifically assigned to police officers.

    Finally, HRRG entreats all students especially those in the senior high schools to peacefully cooperate with the authorities in their schools and to adhere to all instructions, Rules and Regulations that have been put in place to protect them and the public in this abnormal times bearing in mind the surge in COVID-19 infections in the country.

    Thank you.

    Signed

    Joseph Wemakor

    Executive Director

    Tel: 0243676813

    Margaret Attipoe

    Administrative Assistant

    Tel: 0554569068

  • Headmistress takes JHS students to shrine over missing capitation grant cash

    Headmistress takes JHS students to shrine over missing capitation grant cash

    An investigation by the Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG) has revealed that the headmistress of the Mt. Sinai Methodist JHS located at Kumasi in the Dompoase Circuit of Asokwa Municipality in the Ashanti Region, Madam Akyaa Kusi, has taken her students to a Deity known as Obosom in the area to swear that they should die with their relatives if they have stolen an amount of money from her office.

    According to the facts available to HRRG, she suspected the students might have stolen an amount of GH¢1000 which was funds from the school’s capitation grant she kept in her office.

    Investigations carried out by the Human Rights Reporters proved that the event occurred, parents of the children have also confirmed the story.

    The parents of one of the students who were forced to swear to the Deity (Obosom) have not been excited about the sole decision of Madam Akyaa Kusi, the headmistress, who doubles as the Girls Fellowship President in the Methodist Church at Atonsu took.

    “Taking JHS students to Deity (Obosom) over missing capitation grant cash… without reaching out to the parents and… all that transpired baffled me” The parent said in an interview with HRRG.

    They feel they should have been informed about the incident instead of the sole decision of the headmistress to take the children to the shrine.

    She is said to have later bribed the students with new uniforms and sandals and warned them not to disclose what had transpired between them to anyone, not even their parents.

    However, the parents got a hint of the issue later and confronted the leadership of the school, reported it to Municipal Education Office in Asokwa but nothing has been done about it.

    When HRRG contacted the headmistress in an interview, she indicated that the facts available to the (HRRG) were partially true but did not provide any additional information.

    It has been a little over two years and the Municipal Education Directorate seems not to be interested in dealing with the matter. It is not clear if education managers are shielding the school leadership.

    Detailed information available to HRRG further shows that the director and the CS are both aware of the issues but have not taken the necessary steps to address it.

    In an interview one of the parents whose child was a victim of the actions of the headmistress confirmed the story to the Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG).

    The parents of these children want both the Methodist Educational Unit and the Ghana Education Service (GES) to investigate this matter to get to the root of it to help these innocent children out.

    It is also alleged that some teachers who raised concerns about the steps taken by the headmistress have since been transferred from the municipality.

    The HRRG believes the rights of these children have been violated and that parents whose children were accused to have stolen the Ghc1000 were not considered as key stakeholders in addressing the issue.

    We do not know what will happen in the future…; we are worried about any future implications…; one of the children accused who went to swear at the shrine is a twin and that in itself is a big issue… the madam did not do well at all” one of the parents interviewed said.

    Failure of the Methodist Educational Unit and the GES to ensure the actions of the headmistress of Mt. Sinai Methodist JHS in the Dompoase Circuit of Asokwa Municipality in Kumasi are properly dealt with has further dented the image and credibility of the two institutions.

    The Human Rights Reporters Ghana is calling on the two stakeholders to as a matter of urgency take necessary steps to deal with the matter as parents are worried about the future of their children and their families two years after the incident.

    CODE OF CONDUCTS OF TEACHERS IN GHANA

    Part 2 of the Teacher’ Code of Conduct under the heading general definitions of misconduct spell out in Section 1 -ii that

    “Any act of omission without reasonable excuse by an employee that amounts to a failure to perform in a proper manner any official duty assigned to him or her as such or that contravenes any rules of regulations or enactment relating to the Education Service or that is otherwise prejudicial to the efficient conduct of the Education Service into disrepute shall constitute a misconduct.”  

    Again, part two of the code: Rules of conduct spells out under Protection of Children from Torture and Other Degrading Treatment unprofessional behavious not expected of teachers which include Psychological Violence which the students she alleged to have taken them money and later took them to the shrine have gone through for the past 2 years. Section one of rules on Psychological Violence states “No act of a teacher shall have a negative psychological effect on a school child. Therefore,  no teacher in the course of duty shall intimidate, insult, tease, harass, threaten, snub or discriminate against any child.”

    THE HUMAN RIGHTS REPORTERS STAND

    “The fact that the Ghana Education Service in the Municipality has not taken up the matter to ensure the rules apply leaves much to be desired.

    Recently, teachers were dragged to the disciplinary committee of the service for charging 50 peswas for extra classes, what has been done in this case of the headmistress who should be aware of the statutes and set good examples?” Mr. Joseph Kobla Wemakor, the Executive Director of Human Rights Reporters Ghana quizzed in an interview with this portal.

    Children who come to school must be protected and treated with respect no matter the situation while investigating unacceptable conducts and behaviours of these learners.

    “Any decisions that put the children at risk physically, or mentally go contrary to the rights of minors especially in the school certain where teachers are expected to own up for their decisions and actions.” He added.

    If this issue of taking JHS students to a shrine to swear over a missing capitation grant cash is not dealt with well, it will set a bad precedent within our educational institutions and the GES would be blamed.

    Further checks revealed there are witnesses who are ready to testify should the need be to confirm that the issue took place.

    The Human Rights Reporters Ghana is therefore calling on the Ghana Education Service to right the wrong in the case and set a good precedent in such matters that come before it to deter like-minded officers of the service who do not follow the rules of conduct while also ensuring students in public schools are protected from such unprofessional conducts.

    Source: HRRG

  • 13 teenage pregnancies recorded every one hour, 110k recorded in Ghana in 2020 – GHS statistics

    13 teenage pregnancies recorded every one hour, 110k recorded in Ghana in 2020 – GHS statistics

    Teenage pregnancy remains a big challenge in Ghana and data from the annual Ghana Health Service (GHS) statistics on this is very alarming.

    This data shows that in 2020 nearly 301 girls are impregnated every day in Ghana whiles 13 teenage pregnancies recorded every one hour.

    According to the GHS, Ghana recorded a total of 109888 teen pregnancies with the lowest girls to be put in the family way being ten-year-olds.

    Per the data, girls between the ages of 10 and 14 years account for 2,865 pregnancies recorded in 2020 whiles another 107,023 girls between the ages of 15-19 were impregnated within the same year.

    A greater number of these avoidable pregnancies could be attributed to older men. 

    The Ashanti region topped the league table with a total of 17,802 teenage pregnancies followed by Easter (10865), Central (10301), Northern (9249)  and Greater Accra regions 9018).

    The Ahafo and Savannah Regions recorded the lowest of 2652 and 35516 respectively which are still high numbers in a single year of Covid-19.

    Parental control and responsibility, sex education among others remain low across the country. The curiosity of teenagers and boys to try things out, the sexually active nature of today’s youth, and they lack of counselling among others further contribute to the high numbers. 

    The government’s effort towards dealing with the annual high teenage pregnancy seems not to be working.

    The Human Rights Reporters Ghana, in 2018-2019 commenced an important campaign to enlighten and educate teenagers on teenage pregnancy, drug abuse and kidnapping.

    The lack of support from government institutions, and other stakeholders hindered the full implementation of the project.

    Today, the NGO continues to receive global recognition for its contribution to dealing with this social menace that confronts the safety and healthy existence of teenagers and the youth.

    Government and other stakeholders must collaborate with the Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG) and other stakeholders to help educate the youth and teenagers for that matter if we are to win this battle.

    Source:Ghanaeducation.org

  • Human Rights Reporters Ghana saddened by Ghana’s 110K teenage pregnancy statistics of GHS

    Human Rights Reporters Ghana saddened by Ghana’s 110K teenage pregnancy statistics of GHS

    The Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG), a non-governmental organization (NGO) which champions human rights education in Ghana in schools, youth camps and meetings, towns and villages is alarmed by the huge number of teenage girls put in the family way in 2020.

    Reacting to the statistics released by the Ghana Health Service, the Programmes Director of HRRG, Mr. Wisdom Hammond said ” Society is failing itself in ensuring teenagers are not educated on teenage pregnancy and its attended health implications”

    Between 2018 and 2019, the HRRG rolled out a KTT project, a three-tier programme to educate school children at the pre-tertiary level on Kidnapping, Tramadol abuse (Drug abuse) and Teenage pregnancy.

    It achieved some success but was hampered by protocols and powers that be in accessing schools owned and managed by the state.

    Two years on, the NGO is yet to receive a permission letter that will enable it to visit public schools to educate teenagers on these three critical topics for the good of our children in pre-tertiary schools.

    The impact of the KTT in addressing the ills of society including teenage pregnancy have been frustrated by institutions like the Ghana Education Service (GES) which has failed to issue the needed directives to help learners.

    In an interview with the Programmes Director of HRRG, Mr Wisdom Hammond, he said “The HRRG will continue to do its work and reach as many teenagers as possible but called on the powers that be to ensure, access to schools is granted to the NGO to provide the humanitarian service it owes Ghana’s school children and the youth in general.”

    The Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG) was one of the few NGO’s in Ghana which collaborated with the Ghana Police to shed light on Kidnappings in Ghana. The Volunteers visited schools, PTAs, Religious gatherings to educate the masses on Kidnapping.

    The NGO’s efforts have been recognized in global publications and documentaries for its human rights advocacy, education and support but it is yet to get the same recognition in Ghana.

    According to the Chief Executive Director (CEO) of Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG), Mr Joseph Kobla Wemakor, “HRRG will leave no stone unturned to ensure, it contributes its best in building an enlightened society for all without discrimination starting from Ghana; it will continue to reach out to stakeholders.

    He further called on companies, institutions, organizations and individuals to support the NGO to serve the country and the youth.

    Source:HRRG

  • Human Rights Reporters Ghana calls for calm, end to acts of violence against LGBTQI+ community

    Human Rights Reporters Ghana calls for calm, end to acts of violence against LGBTQI+ community

    The Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG) regrets the inhumane actions of some section of the public on persons identified as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex (LGBTQI+) in our communities following the recent launch of their office space in Accra which has generated a huge public outcry.

    According to reports making rounds on both social and traditional media, LGBTQI+ persons are being physically and verbally abused in their homes and at public and workplaces.

    The HRRG condemns in no uncertain terms these dastardly and dehumanizing acts of injustices, calling on its perpetrators to desist with immediate effect and allow the laws to work.

    The queer Ghanaians are people who live and work with us in our communities on daily basis. We should also bear in mind that we live in a country that upholds the Rule of Law, Freedom and Justice for all. No one should take the law into his/her own hands to deprive any person of his or her dignity through any form of violence.

    We should allow our laws and institutions to work for the sake of justice and peace to prevail.

    As a rights organization which believes that society should be free from all forms of discrimination, we add our voices to calls on leadership of Ghana to take action and ensure justice is served and peace is restored with immediate effect.

    Thank you.

    Signed

    Joseph Kobla Wemakor
    Executive Director
    Tel: 0243676813

    Margaret Attipoe
    Administrative Assistant
    Tel: 0554569068

  • Human Rights Reporters Ghana sensitizes Mataheko D/A Basic ‘A’ pupils on Covid-19, human rights

    The headmaster of the Mataheko D /A Basic ‘A’ School, Mr. James Adamah has lauded the educative roles being played by various civil society groups and non-governmental organizations within schools in a bid to help end the new wave of the deadly coronavirus pandemic as part of the ‘back to school initiatives’ being rolled out across the country.

    According to him, such initiatives are timely and above all steps in the right direction to bring about the needed change.  

    “I’m really excited by your visit today and the detailed information you have given to the children which focused mainly on covid-19, the relevance of strict observance of the health protocols as well as the education on human rights”.

    “I believe this would help the children to remain safe and also know their rights on how to behave in public and even in their various homes so that when anyone infringes they’ll know what to do”, he stressed.

    Mr. Adamah said this while speaking on the sidelines of a sensitization exercise conducted by the Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG) Non-Governmental Organization with support of two Civil Society Organizations; the Renel Ghana and the Abibiman Foundation.

    The exercise which took place at the Ningo Prampram District near Mataheko on Monday January 25, 2021 was on the theme: Recover and Revitalize Education for the Covid-19 Generation

    The pupils were enlightened on the global outcry of the second wave of the covid-19 pandemic, it’s devastating effects on humans across the world and why the need for all to strictly observe the covid-19 health protocols to remain safe at all times.  

    They were equally inspired with the education on human rights, its importance to the peoples of the world as well as introduced to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and its 30 articles which all humans ought to comply with.

    Executive Director of Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG), Mr. Joseph Kobla Wemakor who engaged the students observed the story of ‘human rights’  is familiar but the importance of human rights is not fully understood hence the need for sensitization on human rights to enlighten the masses.

    This, he said by knowing their rights, they can stand up for their rights and that of others too.  

    In the end, the HRRG presented 21 copies of booklets containing information on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (companion booklets) with many individual rights illustrated for greater clarity and understanding to some selected pupils to aid them.

    He indicated that the booklets were offered his outfit by the United for Human Rights (UHR), a US-based donor organization dedicated to implementing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights at every level of the society.

    While commending the donor organization for the support which significantly aided the exercise, he equally appealed for more to assist the HRRG campaign team reach out to the entire Ghanaian population especially the school-going children with adequate supply of educational materials on human rights in order to help create a deeper education on human rights to bring about cultural change.

    The Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG) is an initiative of young Ghanaian journalists, editors, lawyers and human right activists who have come together to address human rights violations in Ghana to bring the country closer to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

    In 2019, they launched a nationwide sensitization campaign on Kidnapping Teenage Pregnancy and Tramadol Abuse as a response to the increasing incidents of kidnappings in Ghana. 

    Since the roll out of the program in July 2019, the campaign team has managed to reach over 60,000 beneficiaries particularly school children, parents and youth groups in the communities and religious settings within three regions of Ghana.

    The group’s dedication towards its activism roles with regards to protecting and ending rights abuses in Ghana and beyond has received wide  commendation from many individuals, organizations and institutions both within and outside Ghana.

    Watch a short video on the exercise below: