Navrongo Traditional Council, stakeholders review progress in fight against child marriage

The Navrongo Traditional Council, together with key stakeholders, has reviewed progress made in implementing commitments and action plans aimed at ending child marriage and other harmful cultural practices within the traditional area.

The review meeting, held at the Navro Pio palace on Thursday, June 25, brought together representatives from the Department of Gender, the Ghana Education Service (GES), the Ghana Health Service (GHS), the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), sub-chiefs, queen mothers and other traditional leaders.

The engagement formed part of a follow-up exercise to assess progress since traditional authorities publicly pledged to eliminate child marriage within their jurisdictions.

The Acting Upper East Regional Director of the Department of Gender, James Twene, said the exercise was intended to document achievements, identify implementation challenges and strengthen collaboration among institutions and traditional authorities working to protect children.

“The exercise is designed to document successes, identify challenges and strengthen collaboration among stakeholders working to protect children,” he said.

Twene cited the Bongo Traditional Area as a model of sustained community engagement, noting that queen mothers had spearheaded extensive public education campaigns in schools, churches, mosques, women’s groups and on local radio stations to raise awareness about the dangers of child marriage.

According to him, traditional authorities in Bongo have also established communication platforms to coordinate activities, monitor progress and share updates on child protection efforts.

A representative of the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council and UNFPA explained that the review sought to evaluate the implementation of commitments made by traditional leaders while gathering evidence to inform future interventions.

“The review was intended to assess the implementation of commitments previously made by traditional leaders and gather information to support future interventions,” the representative said.

The official added that findings from the review would be documented and shared with development partners to help address identified gaps and strengthen interventions aimed at eliminating child marriage.

During the discussions, a sub-chief acknowledged that traditional leaders had intensified community sensitisation following the proclamation against child marriage by the Paramount Chief of the Navrongo Traditional Area.

He observed, however, that while many parents were now more cautious about violating the ban, some adolescents continued to engage in risky behaviour that exposed them to early pregnancy and child marriage.

“The challenge increasingly lies with some young people who leave their homes and make decisions without parental guidance,” he noted.

In his closing remarks, the Paramount Chief of the Navrongo Traditional Area, Pe Asagpaare II, underscored the importance of shared parental responsibility in safeguarding the welfare of children.

He urged fathers to play a more active role in the upbringing of their children by working closely with their spouses to provide both emotional and financial support.

“Women alone cannot shoulder the responsibility of raising children,” the Paramount Chief stressed.

Pe Asagpaare II also encouraged girls to remain committed to their education, describing it as one of the most effective pathways to a brighter future and a powerful tool in preventing child marriage.

Mike 105.3FM I Navrongo | Elizabeth Apusaama

Maseda Spices