The Eastern Regional Coordinating Council has partnered with the United Nations Population Fund to equip parents with the knowledge needed to guide their children through adolescence, focusing on sexual and reproductive Health education.
The initiative forms part of the Adolescent Girls Programme, a sub-component of the UNFPA-Government of Ghana Eighth Country Programme supported by the Canadian government. Michael Agyeman, the Eastern Regional Programme Focal Person, told the Ghana News Agency that the programme aims to empower young people, particularly adolescent girls, with information and services to help them reach their full potential.
One hundred and twenty parents participated in two separate sessions held at Akoase in the Birim North District and Nkawkaw in the Kwahu West District. The parent engagements followed earlier sessions with students, creating a coordinated approach to adolescent education.
“We met the students first, then brought parents together to discuss the same issues so they can appreciate what adolescents are experiencing,” Agyeman said. “When they return home, they are expected to continue these conversations and guide their children toward becoming responsible adults.”
Experienced facilitators from the Ghana Health Service led the training. Edith Asiedua, a public health nurse at the Eastern Regional Health Directorate, emphasized the importance of promoting positive masculinity by encouraging boys and men to adopt healthy behaviours and attitudes. She noted this approach helps prevent violence, builds healthier relationships, and supports peaceful coexistence in families and communities.
Asiedua also briefed parents on gender-based violence, urging them to monitor behavioural changes in their children that could signal abuse. She stressed that parents play a critical role in creating safe home environments, as children often model behaviours they observe at home.
The nurse encouraged parents to demonstrate respect, avoid violence, and communicate openly with their children to foster healthy attitudes toward relationships, gender, and conflict resolution. She outlined available referral pathways for abuse cases, highlighting the Ghana Education Service, the Department of Gender, Social Welfare, the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit of the Ghana Police Service, and community leaders as key stakeholders in addressing gender-based violence.
The coordinated effort reflects a growing recognition that sustainable adolescent health outcomes require engagement across family, institutional, and community structures.