DISTRICT LEVEL DIALOGUE TO COMMEMORATE THE 2021 DAY OF THE GIRL CHILD CELEBRATION IN THE BOSOME FREHO DISTRICTS IN THE ASHANTI REGION

Theme: “Digital Generation, Our Generation”

Date: October 22, 2021

Venue: Pentecost English Church, Asiwa

Speech by: Simon Atta Junior, RRIG

INTRODUCTION

On December 19, 2011, United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 66/170 to declare October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child, to recognize girls’ rights and the unique challenges girls face around the world. The International Day of the Girl is a day that global community celebrates the rights of the girl to education and highlighting the need to eliminate all forms of discrimination against girls. Girls and young women face multiple challenges purely because of their age and gender. Today, many girls from being denied an education to being forced in child marriage, with a lot of evidence that girls face a myriad of obstacles that prevent them from realizing their full potentials.

It is in context that the “She Leads Project” is implemented to raise awareness of the obstacles that girls face in this digital generation and to celebrate and reinforce achievements on the 11 October 2021. The main objective of the She Leads project is to increase sustained influence of girls and young women (GYW) on decision-making and the transformation of gender norms in formal and informal institutions. The consortium envisages achieving this objective by working through three interrelated domains:

1. Social and Cultural Domain: Support by increased acceptance of positive social gender norms
2. Civil Society Domain: Enhancement of collective action of girls and young women in a gender-responsive civil society.
3. Institutional Domain: Enabling meaningful participation of girls and young women in decision-making by political institutions.

In Ghana, the project is being implemented by 4 partners: Defence for Children International (DCI) Ghana, Plan International Ghana, Gender Centre for Empowering Development (GenCed) and Women’s Aspire Network’s (WAN) in the following regions;

1. Ashanti
2. Central
3. Greater Accra
4. Northern
5. Upper East
6. Upper West

Rights and Responsibilities Initiatives Ghana (RRIG) is an implementing partner of the Defence for Children International (DCI) Ghana in the Ashanti Region. The project is implemented in 4 districts in the Ashanti Region. These districts include; Asante Akim North, Asokore Mampong, Bosome Freho, Bosomtwe, Kumasi and Obuasi by DCI Ghana, RRIG and Erudite Women’s Empowerment Foundation (EWEF).

Today we celebrate the International day of the Girl Child (IDGC) which falls on October, 11, 2021. Our team emphasizes the need for girls to be well educated in the digital world. As the RRIG Theme state “The Digital World facilitate learning which intend facilitate the ability of girls to earn their living in their adults years thus making them economically independent”.

Furthermore, this year’s theme is a clarion call on all stake holders here present to contribute their quota to ensure that all girls who are present here as well as their families and friends have access to digital education. Digital education is a way to go for a comprehensive holistic and worthwhile education. This is what we asking girls in Bosomtwe Ashanti Ghana and all over the world.

From the beginning of the year we have had some research in SHS and for children; in and out of school. The result shows clearly the barrier that makes a difficult for girls to access quality digital education. I will share with you some aspect of the research to enable you understand that there is an urgent need for girls to have access to quality digital education that of the boy child.

FINDINGS FROM THE TIME DIARIES DATA COLLECTION IN JULY AND AUGUST 2021

A total of 50 respondents were reached with the time diaries card/questionnaire; 25 were Girls and Young Women (GYW) and 25 were boys and young men (BYM). Ten respondents; 5 female and 5 male were selected from GYW groups/ organizations and communities, namely;

1. Anyaaso T.I. Ahmadiyya JHS, Anyanso
2. Dannso D\A JHS, Dannso
3. Nsuaem Methodist JHS, Nsuaem No.2
4. Asiwa Presbyterian JHS, Asiwa
5. Bobiam D/A JHS, Bobiam

According to the data collected on the time diaries and the data analysis done, the following results were attained;

1. All the 50 respondents were aged between 15 and 18 years where 8% were aged 18years and 92% aged 15-17years.
2. All of the 50 respondents, representing 100% does unpaid work.

• It was revealed that, the respondents spend most of their time learning. It is anticipated that, all the respondents are in-school and/or learning a vocation.

1. The study also revealed that, the care for children and adults are the sole responsibility of parents hence the respondents have adequate time to undertake other activities.
2. Both boys and girls who answered the question have equal responsibilities in collection of water and fuel as well as housework.
3. That, majority of the respondents spend 1 hour engaging in housework each day before and/or after school.

• Majority of the respondents spend no time on social and cultural activities. The data shows that 38% have interest in and spend time on social and cultural activities. GYW should be encouraged to take active part in social and cultural activities. That, the GYW should empowered to take up leadership roles in social and cultural activities to promote women’s social and economic development at all levels; the community, district, regional and national levels.
• It should be noted that, majority of the respondents spends 2-5 hours on mass media thus respondents have access to and spend more time on mass media. The use of the mass media should be regulated by parents/ caregivers in the positive manner to promote lifelong learning for both GYW and BYM.

1. Majority of the respondents spend adequate time to sleep each day except 12% who spend little time to sleep often between 3-5 hours each day.
2. On other personal care, 16% respondents spend no time but 84% spend from 1 to 5 hours. It is anticipated that, the personal care can be related to their engagement in other economic activities which can be detrimental to their education, health, survival and development. Hence the project communities should guard against child labour.

 

General Observation during the Data Collection

1. 5 teenage mothers and 1 pregnant teenage girl were identified; 3 teenage mothers and 1 pregnant teenage girl from Nsuaem Methodist JHS and 2 teenage mothers aged 15 and 17 from Anyanso T.I. Ahmadiyya JHS. The Executive Director for RRIG encouraged them to remain in school to complete their secondary school education to enable them become economically empowered to look after themselves and their children.
2. In Danso D/A JHS, we observed that the school’s environment was conducive for teaching and learning activities.
3. Throughout the activities, the COVID 19 public health and safety protocols were observed. Face masks were shared among the respondents.

 

FINDINGS FROM DATA COLLECTION ABOUT GIRLS’ LEADERSHIP IN BOSOME FREHO SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

 According to the secondary data collected from Bosome Senior High Technical School on the female leadership, the following results were derived,

1. In 2018, there was an equal representation of both boys and girls in leadership and decision making in the school with 13 boys representing 50% and 13 girls representing 50%.
2. From 2019-2021, it was revealed that girls’ leadership dominated in the school with 12 boys representing 46.1% and 14 girls representing 53.9%. It is anticipated the high number of girls in leadership will influence decision making and promote the rights and welfare of girls.

General Observation

The data from the school indicates that, more girls are taking up leadership position. However the girls were only selected to assist the boys in the position. Girls should be encouraged to take lead role when vying for the positions in the school.

 

CALL ON STAKEHOLDERS

1. We call on the state and non-state actors including the Traditional and Religious Leaders to create civic spaces for girls who are ready to take up leadership roles, to participate effectively in decision making process in the school, community and district where they live.
2. Girls and Young Women (GYW) are encouraged to take active part in social and cultural activities; to take up leadership roles in social and cultural activities to promote women’s social and economic development at all levels; community, district, regional and national levels of development.
3. We call on Government, all relevant stakeholders to make Digitalization a priority and plan adequately to respond to the Gender selective plans and budget to ensure that, teaching and training at all fields are digital-compliance as well as affording all especially teachers to be computer literate to translate effective and enhanced knowledge to the children.
4. We also need to educate our children to adopt smart techniques on safety protocol online including but not limited to giving out personal information like house address, phone numbers, avoid meeting people in the middle of the nights and not accepting files, as well as all friendly request and messages.
5. Children should be guided against money scams especially Mobile money scammers as well as anonymous calls for contacting someone for winning a raffle must receive in caution.
6. Furthermore, Government, Parents and Guardians should have opened conservation with children on the internet to keep them safe.
7. With all these, it is the responsibility of Government and all Ghanaians to safeguard our children despite the numerous opportunities that the digitalized world offers globally and let the benefits of digital world on skills and entrepreneurship development, provision of affordable broad band, girls and women rights online become of relevance today and the for the future generation within the context of leaving no one behind.

 

CONCLUSION

For us at She Leads Ghana Network in Ashanti Region, we call on all stakeholders responsible for the effective development of girls to provide girls in their quest to be knowledgeable in the digital community, appropriate ICT resources to enable them fit into the digital world.  The resources they will need include time, space, funds, phones, computers, and trainers to become digital savvy as every aspect of life has become digital. Girls need digital competence for peak performance wherever they find themselves. To be assertive they need to communicate through advocacy, campaigns, and self-definition. To excel in school, they need to have the capacity to access supporting theory and best practices in their chosen field of work and interest. At home they need it to improve their wellbeing and that of their depends, family and friends.

RRIG will reinforce the objectives of the She Leads Project to empower GYW to participate in leadership and decision making process through their engagement in social and cultural activities in the communities and district.