The Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council (GARCC), in collaboration with the Department of Gender and with support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), has organised a two-day training programme for selected out-of-school young people to serve as Reproductive Health Education (RHE) mentors in their communities.
The Greater Accra Regional Director of the Department of Gender, Madam Matilda Bamfo, said the programme was designed to equip out-of-school young people and social workers with the knowledge and skills needed to support vulnerable adolescents through mentorship and reproductive health education.
She noted that many adolescents face challenges such as limited access to accurate reproductive health information, teenage pregnancy, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), abuse and exploitation, making mentorship and community support critical to their well-being.
According to Madam Bamfo, the initiative seeks to empower participants to become agents of positive change by providing guidance, support and accurate information to their peers, enabling them to make informed and responsible life decisions.
She added that the training would strengthen peer support systems and promote discussions on reproductive health, personal hygiene, healthy relationships, consent, safety and referral pathways for victims of abuse and violence.
Madam Bamfo expressed optimism that participants would use the knowledge acquired during the training to raise awareness in their communities and contribute to efforts aimed at reducing teenage pregnancy, child abuse and incidents of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence.
She commended the participants for their commitment to promoting the welfare, safety and empowerment of young people and encouraged them to become role models and champions of positive behavioural change in their respective communities.