UE/R: SOCO PROJECT FACILITATORS URGED TO WORK HARD FOR THE SUCCESS OF THE PROJECT – DCE NABDAM
BY: Gladys Apuweni
The Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) Ghana has organized a three-day media training in Bolgatanga, Upper East Region, to build the capacity of journalists on Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (ASRHR) and gender equality reporting.
The training, held under the SHARE Project, brought together media practitioners from across the region to deepen their understanding of adolescent reproductive health issues and equip them with the tools to report using a gender-sensitive lens.
Speaking during the sessions, Mr. Kwesi Ghartey Tagoe, facilitator of the training, explained that journalists play a critical role in shaping public discourse and influencing policy. He noted that empowering the media to accurately and consistently highlight challenges facing young people, especially in the area of sexual and reproductive health, is key to creating awareness and driving positive social change.
“Journalists are powerful storytellers. When they report effectively on issues such as adolescent health, gender equality, and harmful traditional practices, they not only inform society but also influence those in authority to act,” Mr. Tagoe emphasized.
Mr. Elikem Katsekpor, an officer of FAWE working on the SHARE Project, highlighted some of the worrying trends discovered in the project’s four implementing districts, Builsa North, Kassena Nankana Municipal, Kassena Nankana West, and Bongo. These include the rise of teenage pregnancy, the abuse of emergency contraceptives by adolescents, and the growing menace of drug abuse among young people.
He added that the SHARE Project adopts a community-centered approach by empowering parents and caregivers to lead conversations on sexual health and rights with their children, thereby reducing misinformation and risky behaviors among adolescents.
FAWE Ghana implements the SHARE Project in consortium with Right to Play, WaterAid, and FHI360. While Right to Play serves as lead, FAWE provides advocacy, WaterAid supports with health service training, and FHI360 offers technical consultation.
By strengthening the capacity of journalists, FAWE Ghana hopes to ensure sustained reporting that keeps adolescent health and gender equality issues at the forefront of national conversations.
