Story By: Rahamatu-Lahi Zakaria || Sanatu Zambang
Tiyumba Hope Foundation on Saturday, 10th April 2021 organized a regional teen summit at the Radach Hall and Conferences to raise awareness on sexual reproductive health rights and responsibilities, drug abuse, sexual and gender-based violence, and teenage pregnancy in the region.
Leading the conversation on sexual and reproductive health education, Mrs. Hawa Malechi, a gynecologist at the Tamale Teaching Hospitals spoke on the importance of sex education and menstrual hygiene.
She further advised teenagers against the use of emergency contraceptives but should rather opt for condoms or better still visit the family planning unit at any hospitals in their location if they cannot abstain from sexual activities.
Ms. Fouzia Tua Alhassan, a gender and social inclusion advocate at Plan International Ghana talked about the causes of teenage pregnancy in Northern Ghana and what we can to do help reduce or eradicate this menace in the system, and Mrs. Blessilla Nana-Ofoe Kandoh, the youth advocate and campaigns coordinator at Norsaac also touched on Child, early and forced marriage in the context of the Ghanaian laws and also highlighted the need for all of us to fight this canker in society.
The gender department and the domestic violence and victim support unit also laid their hands on Gender-based violence and the role of women in contemporary development and youth and drug abuse in northern Ghana, effects, and solutions in addressing the menace.
Tiyumba Hope Foundation also took the opportunity to award citations to individuals and organizations for their immense contributions to youth development in the northern region.
The awardees included, Hajia Halima Saeed Sagito, executive director of Swida-Gh, Issah Rahama of Active Youth, Fouzia Alhassan Tua, Mohammed Abdul Raafi executive director for Sanatu Zambang, and many others in the activism world in the region.
For the panel discussion, youth change-makers also discussed and shared their stories, seek further clarifications on child early marriage, and was moderated by Miss Clemencia Thomas.
