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HRRG’s Joseph Wemakor selected to participate in Human Rights Course

The Executive Director of Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG), Joseph Kobla Wemakor has been selected by the Legal Resource Centre (LRC), the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) and the Grotius Centre for state of the Netherlands to participate in a short course on Human Rights in Business.

The 2-day course which is scheduled to take place on October 1st and 2nd respectively in Accra forms part of a project aimed at raising awareness of how human rights apply in business settings.

Some modules the participants will be taken through include: What are Human Rights, the International Framework of Human Rights, the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. Others are: How do national laws in Ghana Protect Business in Ghana, the Enforcement of Human Rights-Case Law and Comparative Law – Business and Human Rights in Ghana vrs. other jurisdictions.

Mr. Wemakor, who also doubles as a seasoned freelance journo in an interview said: “I believe this opportunity is a step in the right direction towards building my capacity to be able to deal effectively with the burgeoning issues of human rights abuse the country is battling with”.

The course is an initiative of the Legal Resource Centre (LRC), the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) with support from the Grotius Centre for State of the Netherlands.

We wish him well.

HRRG CEO accepted to Bloomberg Media Initiative Africa Financial Journalism Program

The Executive Director of Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG), Joseph Kobla Wemakor has been offered a place among the forty-eight (48) selected delegates accepted for the second intake of the Bloomberg Media Initiative Africa (BMIA) Financial Journalism Program in Ghana.

Mr. Wemakor who also doubles as the Editor-In-Chief of the Ghananewsone.com in an interview averred that the opportunity is a step in the right direction towards enhancing his capacity to become a world class business and financial reporter he aspires to become in the near future.

“I believe this opportunity is a significant buildup on my previous ones; my selection among the top 18 African financial reporters who were schooled in Morocco last year by global renowned financial experts on business and financial reporting coupled with my earlier placement at the Multimedia Group’s; Joy Business News Desk as an intern towards achieving my dream of becoming the next world class business and financial in Ghana and beyond”.

Bloomberg Media Initiative Africa (BMIA) Financial Journalism Program in Ghana.

The Financial Journalism Training program is a core component of the BMIA, a project of Bloomberg Philanthropist supported by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation and the Ford Foundation which aims to contribute to the advancement of business and financial reporting in Africa.

Since the program was first launched in the Ghana on January 14, 2019, it has seen over 50 delegates accepted for the first intake of the training offered in partnership with the Strathmore University, University of Ghana Business School and Ghana Institute of Journalism.

For the next 6 months, the 48 selected delegates for the second intake who are practicing journalists (majority) as well as professionals from the government and non-government sector will spend 19 days in interactive sessions led by prominent faculty at local universities and will cover topics to strengthen their skills in an understanding of data analysis, capital markets, accounting and finance, public policy, economics and transforming media landscape.

Financial journalism sessions will be taught by Bloomberg News reporters. Delegates will also receive a free, six-month subscription to the Bloomberg Terminal offering access to the global data, news and analysis.

Source| Newsghana24.com

Human Rights Reporters condemn alleged kidnapping of teenager

Accra, Sept 6, GNA – The Human Rights Reporters, Ghana, a Non-Governmental Organisation has called on the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection to take over an issue involving a teenager, who was allegedly kidnapped and raped by two self-styled Pastors.

They also recommended that the victims be provided a holistic medical and psychological counselling to recover from the traumatic experience.

A statement signed by Joseph Kobla Wemakor, Executive Director of the Organisation and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra also called on the need to enlighten the public especially teenagers on their rights and responsibilities.

The statement said the inhuman behavior visited on the girl was cruel, criminal, and painful and violated her rights as a Ghanaian under the 1992 Constitution.

A couple of days ago, there was a story about a young girl who was allegedly kidnapped for four months, sexually abused and when she got pregnant, she was given some concoctions to drink to terminate the pregnancy.

The issue attracted comments and condemnations, calling for stiffer punishment for the perpetrators.

It is therefore not surprising that the Human Rights Reporters Ghana have also added their condemnation to forestall similar occurrences in future.

GNA

Human Rights Reporters demand justice for woman raped by 2 pastors

Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG) has demanded that justice is served on the tormentors of an 18-year-old woman who was kidnapped and raped for 4 months.

The victim says her captors compelled her to take concoctions to abort a pregnancy that resulted from the multiple sexual assaults.

The suspects, George Andrews and Maxwell Peter were put before the court on Monday.

A statement from HRRG recommended that the “Gender, Children and Social Protection Ministry to take over the matter and make sure that justice is served.”

“We further recommend that the victim is provided a holistic medical and psychological (Counseling) support so she recovers from the traumatic experience.”

Read the full statement below

Source: Ghana| Myjoyonline.com

Project Mobile ‘school’s award-winning journo Joseph Wemakor et al on migration

Award-Winning journalist, Joseph Kobla Wemakor together with sixteen (16) other Ghanaians working in various sectors of the country have benefited from a 4-day intensive capacity building workshop on migration aimed at equipping them with adequate knowledge, information and skills on how to handle migration-related issues in the country.

The workshop dubbed “Project MOBILE”, an initiative being executed by Speech Forces Organization in collaboration with Ghana-Union Hamburg and supported by the Centre for International Migration and Development (CIM) seeks to address the phenomenon of migrating to Europe for greener pastures; an issue common among the youth of Africa.

The 4-day intensive capacity building workshop which began in June and ended up in July (4 Saturdays only) was staged at the ‘Kunkun’ conference hall located at Osu, a surburb of Accra.

Astute journo, Joseph Kobla Wemakor, a recipient of the maiden competition on migration media award who was also part of the sixteen (16) beneficiaries drawn from the various sectors of the country including Civil Society Organizations, Non-government Organizations, Schools, the Corporate world, the media and the governmental organizations alike.

The participants were exposed to the hardcore issues of migration which most African youths are battling with including the consequences of irregular migration, seeking for asylum and the processes involved in securing it.

They were also meant to experience real-life situations of some African migrants living in Europe via a documentary movie made by them who narrated their ordeals.

The beneficiaries Project Mobile on migration

The beneficiaries include Richmond Coffie (entrepreneur), Grace Suatonu (business woman), Emmanuel Animpong (NGO volunteer), Solomon Sarpong (teacher), Issac Afful Ferguson (politician) Ebenezer De-Gaulle (journalist), Rashid Provencal (journalist), Afia Acheampong (student), Joseph Kobla Wemakor (journalist) and Sena Gebe (student).

Interacting with Newsghana24.com on the sidelines of the workshop, the winner of the ‘2018 media competition on migration reporting, astute journo, Joseph Kobla Wemakor who doubles as the Executive Director of Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG) expressed profound delight and lauded the organizers for the ‘golden’ opportunity to be enlightened on migration-related issues which is a major challenge the Africa continent is confronted with.

“It’s always my pleasure to have my knowledge and skills upgraded and be well-informed about the critical issues that affect us as African youths and I am really grateful for this opportunity. To be educated is an empowerment in itself to be more committed in highlighting these critical issues as a journo and I must really commend the organizers, facilitators and all those who made this happen”.

Migration remains a critical issue in Africa as the drive for survival and for greener pastures continued to force millions of young men and women to gamble with death in attempts to cross over to Europe and other parts of the world. This quest to escape poverty, hunger, unemployment, insecurity, climate change, urbanization among other reasons caused a major segment of Africa’s population to seek alternatives for better livelihood prospects for themselves and families at the perils of their lives.

Unfortunately, those seeking economic survival see irregular migration as the best alternative, given the difficulty and resources involved in migrating through regular and legitimate routes.

The issue is a very pathetic one begging for a solution owing to the thousands of lives being lost aside the torture, trauma and other forms of abuses that most migrants suffer trying to cross over the Sahara Desert and the Mediterranean Sea en-route Europe and the America’s and others.

Rational behind Project Mobile on migration

Explaining the rationale behind the project, Business Development Manager of Speech Forces Organization, Prince Kelly Anyomitse said, “the Project Mobile is an abbreviation of a title: the “Myth of Better Life in Europe”. He explained the idea behind the workshop is to reach out to people who have the network and influence to help educate the direct primary victims of irregular migration.

“We are doing this in conjunction with the Ghana Union in Hamburg (Germany), a community of Ghanaian living there who are financing this project as their way of helping the society and sensitizing young people back home on the right way to travel to Europe including the dangers of irregular migration”.

Prince averred that the 1-year project which began in June runs concurrently in Accra and Kumasi and has so far engaged seventy-four (74) selected participants from every sector of the country.

He said 10 facilitators were trained during the first phase of the workshop in Accra this year while 64 cohorts were trained concurrently in Accra and Kumasi between June, July and August amounting to a total of number of 74 participants directly engaged within the first and second phase under the project.

Mr. Anyomitse who also doubles as the main facilitator of the project hinted that the third phase of the project will witness the engagement of religious leaders and the media practitioners and it will be wrap up with a documentary movie which will be screened on all the Television networks in Ghana.

According to him, the documentary movie is currently being produced in Germany and will soon hit the screens to educate the masses on irregular migration and the realities of life of migrants in Europe before the close of the project in 2020. “That is why we’re engaging the media ahead to set the agenda for the discussions on migration which is a very pertinent issue”.

He advised the youth against irregular migration and encourage them to avoid always being in haste whenever they want to travel outside the country but to rather ensure they seek for the right information, crosscheck facts from the authorities and be adequately prepared before taking a step.

For her part, Madam Sandra Paye, a co-facilitator of the workshop admonished the youth to always consider the consequences of irregular migration before embarking on a journey outside the country in search for greener pastures.

Source: Newsghana24.com

Press Release: Respect Rights Of Suspects Being Tried In The 3 Takoradi Kidnapped Girls Case – HRRG

For Immediate Release

RESPECT THE RIGHTS OF SUSPECTS BEING TRIED IN THE 3 TAKORADI KIDNAPPED GIRLS CASE – THE HUMAN RIGHTS REPORTERS GHANA

The Human Rights Reporters Ghana writes to request all stakeholders of the Three Kidnapped Taadi Girls to respect the rights of suspects being tried in the case.

We urge family members, of the three girls to respect the legal proceedings, the institutions and officers of the legal system and the police as they perform their duties.

According to section 12 subsections 1 of the constitution of the Republic of Ghana which borders on human rights and freedoms. “The fundamental human rights and freedoms enshrined in this chapter shall be respected and upheld by the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary and all other organs of government and its agencies and, where applicable to them, by all natural and legal persons in Ghana, and shall be enforceable by the Courts as provided for in this Constitution.

Section 19 sub-section 1 of the constitution is emphatic that “A person charged with a criminal offence shall be given a fair hearing within a reasonable time by a court.”

This is an indication that all persons in Ghana including the suspects in the Taadi Girls kidnapped have the right to fair trail and until the court proves them guilty beyond all reasonable doubts they remain suspects who have rights which must be guarded, protected and not violated by anyone or group of persons aggrieved by their actions or inactions.

We therefore urge all stakeholders to be guided by this and allow the court to do its work and legal processes to be carried out without interested parties attempting to take the law into their own hands to give any form of instant justices or vent their anger on suspects.

The Human Rights Reporters Ghana wishes to appeal to all stakeholders especially family members whose daughters have gone missing thus the families of Priscilla Blessing Bentum, Priscilla Mantebea Koranchie and Ruth Love Quayson.

Let us all allow the judicial arm to carry out its work. Human Rights Reporters Ghana, stands with us all as we work hard to unravel the dark spots and solve the puzzle surrounding the three kidnapped Taadi Girls.

Together, let us build a society for all without discrimination.

END

Signed

Joseph Kobla Wemakor Wisdom Eli Kojo Hammond

0243676813 0553456738

Executive Director Project Director

Date:July 31,2019

Source:Newsghana24.com

Newsghana24

Ghana sinks with kidnappings; loses hope of finding the missing Takoradi girls – Joseph Wemakor

The Executive Director of Human Rights Reporters, Joseph Kobla Wemakor has posited that Ghana appears to be sinking gradually in chasm each day with no hope of rescue of the three girls who went missing last year in Secondi-Takoradi in the Western Region of Ghana between August and December last year.

Mr. Wemakor who was conducting a sensitization workshop on kidnapping at the Rect Academy located at Santa Maria in Accra monitored by Newsghana24.com on Wednesday July 10, 2019 bemoaned the inability of the authorities to bring back the missing girls despite their numerous promises.

The exercise witnessed over 700 students sensitized on kidnappings, the modus operandi of the perpetrators including equipped with tips to guide themselves in order to foil the attempt of the kidnappers.

Joseph said, “it is heartbreaking to note that almost close to one year since the disappearance of the 3 girls, no news of their whereabout despite the constant promises made to Ghanaians by the authorities to help find them and bring them back to their families”.

According to him, the deafening silence of the authorities in recent times on the fate of the girls which hang in the balance is even suicidal which indicates that all hope is lost of rescuing the girls”.

The human rights activist cum seasoned journalist therefore appealed to government to do all it can humanly possible to help bring back the missing girls and reunite them with their families as soon as possible.

The sensitization exercise has seen over 700 students educated on kidnappings, the modus operandi of the kidnappers and provided with tips to foil the attempt of the kidnappers.

The Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG) is a non-governmental organization formed with the purpose of defending and protecting the fundamental human rights of all manner of people in Ghana and beyond with focused attention on women, girls and children who are the most vulnerable.

The organization made up of a combined group of journalists, lawyers and human rights activists has demonstrated its commitment in helping end the myriads of human rights and social issues that confront Ghanaians with the aim of helping create a society for all without discrimination at the same time assisting Ghana in its efforts towards ensuring its dream of achieving the UN Agenda 2030 becomes a reality.

Having been caught by the attention of the kidnapping phenomenon which has caused lives and disappearances of both locals and foreigners in the country in recent times, HRRG has embarked on a nationwide sensitization exercise to educate, inform and equip all Ghanaians with tips to guard themselves in order to foil the attempts of the perpetrators.

The campaign which has gained momentum currently across the entire country; in public places, churches, communities and schools has seen over 6,000 Ghanaians sensitized so far and still continues to make waves.

Some schools the HRRG sensitization team visited recently in Accra to conduct the exercise include Little Angels International School (Gbawe CP), M & B School (Lapaz), L & A Memorial Academy (Gbawe), Excellence Academy, Beacon Hall School, Knowledge Hill School, Annex (Santa Maria), Joshua and Joy Int. School (Anyaa).

Harrowing story of how 22-year-old SHS graduate escaped from kidnappers

You will be amazed to know that ever since the phenomenon of kidnapping reared its ugly head in Ghana in 2018 and continue to wreak havoc, many Ghanaians have felt the shivers down their spines but unfortunately, not everyone believes the stories.

Shockingly, not even the disappearance of the 3 Takoradi girls including the attacks and abduction of some foreign nationals in the country in recent times could cast away their doubts.

As doubting ‘Thomases’, they might either being waiting to have a taste of the activities of the so-called kidnappers themselves or hear from a close relative who escaped from being a victim to share his/her story before they can come to terms the realities on the ground.

Well for those of you out there who are still living in doubt about the kidnapping phenomenon in Ghana, a 22-year-old SHS graduate who recently escaped from the hands of her abductors have been sharing her harrowing story to make you believe.

Linda Owusuwaa Danso is a resident of Anyaa-Palas Town, a suburb of Accra who graduated from the Senior High School (SHS) last year but due to weak pass in the Mathematics subject couldn’t get enrolled into school but currently undergoing remedial class to better her grades to guarantee her entry into the University.

According to Linda, she met her ‘waterloo’ one fateful morning; somewhere in May 2019 while on her way to lectures.

While walking a stretch leading to the ‘school junction’, (the nearest Junction) where she can find a commercial bus which in the local parlance is called “trotro” to school, she chanced upon a taxi driver who offered her a lift to save her the hustle of getting late to class.

“He mentioned my name and asked, if I’m off to school and I nodded in agreement and he went ahead to add that, “looking at the time, it looks like you’re running late for school”, that I should hop into the car so he can drop me off at the Junction”.

“It sounded to me like an offer from a ‘good samaritan’ therefore there was no way I could reject it. Also looking at the face of the driver, it looks familiar to me so I did not entertain any fear and there didn’t hesitate to join him”.

Miss Danso said she sat at the back seat of the commercial car (taxi) together with two other passengers who are men.

She further averred that while they were on their way, she noticed something strange happening which kept her wondering to herself and even made her a bit worried and uncomfortable but she decided to kept her cool and even encouraged herself not to bother her head over it since it meant nothing.

Recounting her ordeal, she said, “I’ve observed one of the men seated handed over a ten (10) Ghana cedis note to the driver and signalled him to alight at an unknown location which does not exist on the stretch the car is plying”.

“In fact that also made me confused and I wondered if it is appropriate but I’ve again decided to let go”.

According to her, another instance that got her befuddled was when she was asked to mention the time of the day which she did correctly, but unfortunately that was disbelieved by the passengers on board of which they demand of her to verify that by a look on her mobile phone which she did hesitantly, a request she was not comfortable with but had to comply just to please them.

Since her stay in the car, she observed one strange event leading to another all in just a spate of five minutes, then came the unthinkable one when she heard the driver called on her to help him push a black polythene rubber bag which contains an unknown substance into the carrier compartment of his car to prevent it from falling down.

Linda narrates, the seeming opening of the rubber bag almost led to the dropping of its contents which hang precariously at its edge.

“He asked me to push the rubber into the compartment with my hand and I obeyed. While I was doing that with one of my hands, he asked me to use both of my hands instead”.

At this point, Mavis began to suspect a foul play but was still cool within.

“But just when I was about balancing myself, to carry out his orders, I felt in my spirit that I should look on my right and I did”.

“To my surprise, I observed that the man by my side was holding in his hand a white handkerchief laced with a powdered substance and was almost getting ready to grab my head from behind so he can force it on my nose to trigger me to inhale it”.

“It dawned on me that I’m in a big trouble and if care is not taken ill never get to see my parents again. Then all of a sudden I reached out to the doorknob and pull it open by force. I was lucky it wasn’t locked up and I began to yell for help”.

Linda bemoaned her rescue did not occur at the time she foiled the attempts of the kidnappers by pushing the door open but rather it was when a trotro driver crossed the path of her driver that made him apply the brake”.

“One of my legs was outside the car while the driver was still driving without stopping despite my cry for help. If it hadn’t been that trotro driver he wouldn’t have brake for me to escape”.

Linda concluded by saying she believes God must have intervened which led to her rescue if not she would have been kidnapped and would never get to see her lovely parents again, just as how it happened to the 3 Takoradi kidnapped girls.

She vehemently vowed never to accept any form of lift from a stranger or someone familiar to her even if she is in hurry going to school, church or town.

“Whether from a familiar person or not, I vow never to accept any offer of that sort again in my entire life in order to always stay safe”.

She therefore appealed to all Ghanaians especially children, young girls and women to desist from accepting lift from strangers so as not to fall victims to kidnappers.

Source:Joseph Kobla Wemakor/Ghanaweb.com

Politicizing kidnappings will only deepen our woes – Joseph Wemakor

The Executive Director of Human Rights Reporters Ghana(HRRG), Joseph Kobla Wemakor has bemoaned the attitude of some Ghanaians in connection with politicization of issues of kidnappings being recorded in the country in recent times, adding, “It will only deepen our woes as a country if care is not taken”.

According to him, addressing the thorny issue holistically will only require effective collaboration of all Ghanaians to hunt down the perpetrators, bring them to book and ensure that peace continues to prevail in the country instead of the politicizing it.

“Our bane as a nation has always been politicizing issues when we ought to rather focus our attention on finding solutions to them”. “So are we still politicizing a serious issue of this magnitude which has got to do with precious lives?, this is quite unfortunate”, he quizzed.

He, therefore, appealed to all Ghanaians especially the leaders of the two major political parties in the country, NPP and NDC to desist from politicizing the issue of kidnapping cases and collaborate efficiently with the security forces to fight the canker.

Mr. Wemakor made this assertion in an interview with NewsGhana24.com on the sidelines of a sensitization exercise on kidnapping organized by his outfit at the Hayfron International Community School located at Anyaa, a suburb of Accra on Monday June 17, 2019.

The politicization of kidnappings by leaders of the two main political parties in the country generated a huge public outcry and criticism at the wake the rescue of the two Canadian women who were abducted in Kumasi at the beginning of the month.

At the centre of the controversy lies one of the suspects, Seidu Mba who got both political parties peddling accusations and counter accusations against one another over the alleged suspects affiliation to their respective parties.

But the HRRG boss in his assertion calls for an end to the saga so as to allow the mysteries behind series of recent kidnappings in the country be unraveled for peace to prevail.

The Human Rights Reporters Ghana is a non-governmental organizations formed purposely to defend and protect the freedom and fundamental human rights of manner of people in Ghana and beyond particularly, the children, girls and women who are the most vulnerable.

Having caught up by the attention of various critical human rights and social issues that stares the country in the face of which kidnappings currently dominates, it has helped mobilized its members to embark upon a nationwide sensitization campaign aimed at addressing those issues and more in a bid to help create a society for all without a discrimination.

The organization since its inception has sensitized over 6,000 school children and adults on the phenomenon of kidnapping and offered them useful tips to guide them in order to foil the attempts of kidnappers.

As part of its nationwide sensitization campaign, HRRG has currently sensitized over 700 students of Accra College of Demonstration School, 480 students of Hayfron International School located at Anyaa in Accra, 85 students of Supreme Preparatory & JHS School at Anyaa Palas Town, 256 students from Little Miracles International School at Lapaz in Accra and over 200students of Shiny Kumbo Star Preparatory School.

In addition, the organization has also educated over 400 students of Royal Crown International School located in Accra, 140 pupils of Little Angels International school including over 400 church youths of Christ Apostolic Church(CAC) and Church of Pentecost located at Techiman in the Bono East Region of Ghana.

He touched my private part, breasts: The hidden nightmare of rape perpetrated on 17-year-old by her uncle

She could have fallen easily into the trap of her own uncle who attempted raping her during her visit to his house to assist with some household chores the last time.

It is very pathetic of someone in whom her confidence is reposed as a guide and a role model. Someone who is supposed to be a pillar of support through her early stages of development into adulthood. Regrettably, someone she hardly believes could behave in such an unjustly manner, the way he treated her.

Who could have fathomed how a naive and young girl like Cynthia Adu (not her real name), 17, could outwit and extricate herself from a well-calculated trap of a ‘sexual predator’ in the name of her mother’s kid brother or an uncle?. Impossible indeed huh.!

The thought of rape in mind could mean a whole lot for her. It means she could either contract one or more of those deadliest sexually transmitted diseases, get pregnant as a teenager or get exposed to so many dangers that come with rape which of course teenage pregnancy can be cited as one. Perhaps, she may have to also drop out of school just like her two elderly sisters did.

Currently her big sister is battling with her life after going through a similar situation. At a tender age of 17, she got impregnated by a young man in her neighbourhood, dropped out of school as a result to deliver a baby and unfortunately couldn’t make it back. Currently, herself together with her 2 kids have become a burden on her poor parents.

Following that, her other elder sister whom she followed directly in line of birth equally suffers the same fate leading to her dropping out of school prematurely. But her story was somehow different; since she was lucky to get reinstated after delivery and now joins her in JHS 3.

Had it not been that, she would have completed JHS 3 long ago and move on to further her education at the Senior High School (SHS).

However, Cynthia believes overcoming such a grand scheme by her uncle is not by her power or might, but by divine intervention in other words by the ‘grace of God, almighty’ which is made possible through the information support she had received in the past from her ‘Religious and Moral Lessons’ tutor.

“I went to his house on one fateful Saturday morning, somewhere last year (2018) just to assist him with some chores as usual. He was sitting in his room and asked me to enter and I obeyed”.

“Then he started showing some attitude towards me. By the grace of God, I knew what he wanted to do so I became alert. He went and locked the door behind me so I asked him why, but he said nothing”.

“Then all of a sudden he started touching my private part, fondling my breasts and went ahead to caress me. At this point, it dawned on me this man is about to ‘commit an abominable act towards me’ therefore I asked him to open the door for me so I can leave but he refused”.

“So I shouted, ‘no, please open the door, I want to leave now’, then all of a sudden he felt ashamed and went to open the door for me and I skipped out”.

Cynthia, is a fine looking young lady, an average height, fair in complexion with blue prominent eyes. She is currently a JHS 3 student of Anlo-Afiadenyigba Roman Catholic (R.C.) Junior High School (JHS).

She was born into a family of seven (7), five (5) girls, a mother and a father. She is a twin by birth and the third born of her parents.

Together with her twin sister, they follow 2 other girls whom they call their elderly sisters before their last born who is also a lady (kid sister).

Despite her predicament, anyone would have thought that Cynthia will gather courage to confide in her parents about his uncle’s misdemeanour so he can be called to order, but she declined instead.

The issue is, who knows her uncle’s next line of action.? What if he decides to strike again after his first attempt has hit a snag.?

When confronted by the Executive Director of Human Reporters Ghana, Mr. Joseph Kobla Wemakor as to what informed her deafening silence on the matter, she responded: “The reason why I didn’t tell my mother is because by the grace of God, I managed to escape the rape attempt, but assuming he succeeded raping me, I would have no choice than to report him”.

Cynthia feared for her life knowing there’s looming danger ahead. Her fear is that it is likely her uncle might strike again and maybe he might end up overcoming her.

When asked about the information she received from her teacher that saved her life, she revealed, “At the time I was in my uncle’s room before he tried that on me, he first locked me up, stepped out to go and buy a drink. Then I had a nudge, all of a sudden, what my teacher thought us came into my mind. ‘How to escape when a man wants to rape you or beware of Jonadab and Amnon, a story you’ll find in the Bible; the book of 2 Samuel, chapter 13 verse 1-38. So immediately when the message came to me, I just had an inner invigoration, then I stood up and said I’m going”, that was what made me yell at him before he was compelled to let me out”.

Surviving and evading rape is a traumatic experience that impacts its victims in a physical, psychological, and social way. Even though the effects and the aftermath of rape differentiate among survivors, individuals tend to suffer from similar issues found within these three categories. Long term reactions may involve the development of coping mechanisms that will either benefit the survivor, such as social support or inhibit recovery.

The case of Cynthia can be likened to the above explanation since she falls within the same bracket.

Although she managed to escape being raped, her situation demands that she enjoys the needed social support, care and attention looking at the trauma she had to battle with for the rest of her life.

Currently, she is living in fear of imminent danger anytime the thought of her uncle’s bad attitude towards her came to her mind.

“Ever since that incident, I’ve never been to his house, sometimes when we on the way, I observed that he never tolerates me the way he used to do before”, Cynthia remarked.

Many girls today are living in worst situations more than what Cynthia went through, particularly in the villages and rural communities. Their stories have gone unreported simply because they aren’t told for fear of mistrust, stigmatization or victimization.

Around the world, rape and sexual abuse are everyday violent occurrences – affecting close to a billion women and girls over their lifetimes. However, despite the pervasiveness of these crimes, laws are insufficient, inconsistent and, sometimes, promote violence.

On his part, Cynthia’s Moral and Religious Studies teacher, Jones Obiri Mawusi, (the man who always inspire Cynthia and his colleagues with Bible stories and more) bemoans the issue of rape, teenage pregnancy and abortion, adding, it had characterized the school at an alarming rate which has become a cause for worry.

He alluded to the fact that Cynthia actually escaped the rape attempt from her uncle and did confide only in him due to trust.

Jones who calls himself a devoted Christian said, he believes using the Bible stories like that of Ammon and Tamar to educate the students helps in moulding them as well as to refrain from immoral acts thereby ensuring they desist from engaging in pre-marital sex, abortion and to curb teenage pregnancy.

The full story of Amnon and Tamar which inspired Cynthia to action was captured in the 2 book of Samuel, Chapter 13 verse 1 to 38. The story highlighted gross display of immorality between the son of King David in the Bible called Amnon who fell in love with his half-sister, beautiful Tamar, ended up raping her by luring her to bed on the pretext that he was sick and demanded her sister to visit and prepare him a meal in his bedroom. His life was later taken by Absalom, the brother of Tamar by vengeance for defiling and breaking the heart of her sweet sister, Tamar.

According to Mr. Jones Mawusi, such a story was what captivates and motivates Cynthia to act in time of trouble when confronted by her uncle.

“That story really saved Cynthia from getting raped by her own uncle”, he stressed.

“She came to thank me for the support, explaining how she managed to escape and said, “It was just like how you click a mouse on a computer and a page opens and that message came to me. I remembered you were teaching us about the tale of Jonadab, Amnon and Tamar, the beautiful daughter of King David in the Bible”, that was how I escaped the rape, Jones narrated.

Giving an account about Cynthia and her two sisters on campus, he disclosed that he was once approached by their father for help, to keep advising his daughters for better since he doesn’t really seem to understand what is wrong them that they keep getting pregnant prematurely and while in JHS 2.

So who is responsible for denigrating the womanhood of his lovely daughters? Could it be the ‘bad uncle’ in disguise?

Anlo-Afiadenyigba is a town situated in the Keta Municipality of the Volta Region of Ghana. It is noted to be one of the towns in the region which has produced many school dropouts especially girls who have fallen victims to teenage pregnancy, abortion and rape.

Surprisingly, out of the alarming rate of teenage pregnancy in the country, Volta Region is said to have recorded a high incidence.

A publication dated July 14, 2018 by Graphic Online titled ‘Volta Region tops teenage pregnancy list’ indicated that the Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS) of 2014 pointed out that about 4.1 percent of teenagers in the region were pregnant with their first child and 18 percent of teenagers had already had a live birth.

It also suggested that child marriage in the Volta Region was recorded at 7.8 percent and it is second to the Western Region which is 8.3 percent.

So if the Volta Region is cited as being on top of the list in this regard, which municipality or school is leading the region when the issue of teenage pregnancy is mentioned?

According to the statistics available, about eleven (11) girls at Anlo-Afiadenyigba Basic School & JHS got pregnant at the end of 2015/2016 academic year.

For what reason(s) and why this sad development? It is no surprise that the school was leading in teenage pregnancy and rise in abortion cases within the entire Basic School in the Keta Municipality.

We’ll if the above statistics are true and anything to go by, we can come to conclusion, that the story of Cynthia and her 2 sisters is authentic since it corroborates the problem at hand.

“The alarming rate of teenage pregnancy in this school is really a major issue of concern”, Jones Mawusi laments.

Condemning the situation in no uncertain terms, he described the situation as ‘devastating to the integrity and image of the noble school’.

In an attempt to address the canker of teenage pregnancy, rape and abortion that has characterized the school, he saw the need to establish the ‘Girls Club’ through the support of the school head, Mr. Topha-Mills Moses. It was inaugurated on Friday March 18, 2016 to assist girls with needed education to develop their God-given talents, gifts and potentials.

Some of its aims and objectives include, to help educate girls about the dangers associated with teenage pregnancy and abortion and how to avoid it, empowering girls, assisting them to be abreast of their fundamental human rights and also create awareness against all kinds of domestic violence and sexual abuses.

It also seeks to help inculcate in girls the virtue and true sense of feminism so as to guard against and overcome all sort of inferiority complex and gender inequality.

Through the support of this club, within a period of three years, many successes have been chalked ranging from holding panel discussions, drama on effect of pre-marital sex, choreography, poetry recitation on teenage pregnancy, rape and so on. The highest achievement for that matter the major event in the history of the club was when it successfully organized an excursion to the Kotoka International Airport in Accra which saw majority of students partake in the exercise which brought a lot of impact and exposure in their lives. It was indeed the first time in the history of the school the student has such an encounter to embark on excursion out of town.

Despite all the above experiences, the club is faced with numerous challenges, according to its founder, a teacher, youth activist and Pastor, Mr. Jones Obiri Mawusi.

Out of the challenges he enumerated include, financial constraints, inadequate time allocation for club meetings, poor patronage of the Girls Club by teachers, lack of appropriate meeting place and lack of self-control on part of the girls in giving themselves to men.

According to him, the biggest of all their challenges boils down to lack of financial support which is hampering the progress of the club since it really depends on such support to be able to roll out its programs such as drama, panel discussion, poem among others to educate the students on the effects of pre-marital sex, teenage pregnancy, abortion, rape, misconception of womanhood (panel discussion) among others.

He therefore appealed to all well-meaning persons, government, corporate organizations and institutions, NGOs and CSOs in the country and beyond to come to the aid of the school and support the Girls Club to achieve its objectives of ensuring that the girls enjoy their freedom and fundamental human rights in full without any form of abuse or discrimination in the society.

Source:Joseph Kobla Wemakor/Ghanaweb.com