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Stakeholders in the fight against child marriage have commended the Multimedia Group for its impactful reportage of the phenomenon in the Ashanti region.
At least ten juveniles who were married off to men three times their age were saved through a collaboration between the Police Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU).
The traumatised victims, some of whom considered suicide to end their pains, were featured in JoyNews Hotline Documentary, ‘Child Bride’, put together by Ohemeng Tawiah.
The stakeholders, including UNICEF, DOVVSU and the Psychiatric Association of Ghana, say such initiatives go a long way towards improving the situations of the vulnerable in society.
Ghana is home to over two million child brides, according to UNICEF.
The Child Bride project did not only investigate and rescue victims but also ensured victims enrolled in school, while recalcitrant parents and relatives were prosecuted.
Dr. Kwadwo Appiah-Kubi is the outgoing Chairman of Parliamentary Committee on Gender, Children and Social Protection.
As a legislature, he has been vocal on the floor of parliament on issues of child marriage.
“You’ve taken the lead and let me congratulate you for taking the lead and showing concerns. You recognize the problem and that you believe that you also need to do your part to bring this problem to an end. He commended the Multimedia Group.
“I will encourage, request other media houses to do the same,” he charged.
Ashanti Regional DOVVSU Commander, Supt. Susana Dery described the Multimedia Group’s intervention as life-saving.
“Multimedia when they were involved in this, we have gotten admission for some of the girls through their efforts.”
“Then sometimes even immediately we do the rescue, especially rescues that are done in the night, you cannot get Social Welfare to permit us to get to the shelter and all that. They are able to see some hoteliers who will offer to get us a room in their facility for us to keep such victims till the following morning and then start the other processes,” Supt. Dery added.
UNICEF warns Ghana risks missing out on meeting the Sustainable Development Goal 5 of eliminating all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage by 2030.
Joyce Odame is the Child Protection Officer at UNICEF, an international organization working in more than 190 countries to reach out to most disadvantaged children.
She is enthused by the role played by the Multimedia Group in reaching out to disadvantaged children.
“I must commend Multimedia for demonstrating this kind of interest and commitment to this issue that is plaguing our country.
Definitely, the government alone cannot I mean do it and so we always call on civil society organizations and everybody, parents; anybody at all has a role to play.”
For the President of the Psychiatric Association of Ghana, the energy level of the Multimedia Group amazes her.
Dr. Ruth Owusu-Antwi wants more of such initiatives from MGL.
“I say a big kudos to the Multimedia. You do all and when people sit somewhere, they may not even think about an issue like this. And sometimes I get amaze that people who are lay- lay in terms of lay in the mental health sector will think deep about issues pertaining to mental health.
“It amazes me and actually impresses me and, it is a good work Multimedia is doing. I will encourage you to keep it up,” Dr. Ruth Owusu-Antwi, President of the Ghana Psychiatrics Association, has said.
The two-part Child Bride documentary has increased discussion on the issue with a call from victims for more action to end the practice.
Source: myJoy
