Ending Child Marriage for a Brighter Future

Child marriage is considered a violation of human rights and a harmful practice affecting lots of girls, leading to numerous negative health and developmental consequences. This has gone a long way to limit girls' economic and individual empowerment.

In Jirapa, a District in the Upper West Region of Ghana where child marriage is prevalent, we see girls being married off to relieve financial burdens on households. This goes a long way to blocking educational and economic opportunities for women and girls.

World Vision Ghana, as part of its vision to bring transformation in the lives of the most vulnerable children, has collaborated with the Social Welfare Department, Child Welfare Supervisors, school authorities and kids’ club members in the Jirapa Area Programme to save young girls who were victimized by child marriage and restore their hopes of a better future through child protection and participation programmes.

The Municipal Social Welfare Department has indicated that child marriage and teenage pregnancy continue to be an issue of much concern in societies that need a multi-purpose approach to eradicating it hence, the need for action to combat the menace.

16-year-old Marciana and Patience alongside 17-year-old Dorothy would have been forcibly married off but for the intervention of World Vision Ghana, were enrolled on the child protection and participation programme to reunite with their families. The programme sought to train children on methods applied in conserving agriculture, animal husbandry, and agronomic practices among others as well as preventive measures associated with Covid-19 to mitigate its spread. Other activities included Christmas card administration and peer group discussions to test the intellect of children.

World Vision Ghana is a child-focused organization with the core mandate to seek justice for the oppressed and ensure the most vulnerable children experience life in all its fullness as a demonstration of God’s love for humanity.