Digital Action Campaign Narrative

Women Aspire Ghana, is on a mission to equip young women and girls with information to own their bodies, make their choices and to voice out all issues of abuse enacted on them.Adolescent girls and young women have rights and should be encouraged to use their voice to speak on issues that adversely affect them. There is a need for them to have the power within to own their bodies, make their own choices and to voice out all forms of abuse enacted on them and other girls as well.

In my community, teenage pregnancy has been on the rise due to many reasons. First, ignorance, poverty, peer influence etc. Adolescence is a very crucial stage. It is a period when most of them do not understand their bodies and themselves. The adolescent gets high libido rise and peer pressure at the same time. Therefore, there is a need for them to have the power within to own their body and to understand the changes that they go through.

In my country and in most countries although laws abounds, people still perpetuate and violate the rights of young women and girls. Most of the wrong doersare family members and family friends and most often they are protected by family members from facing the full rigors of the law. Most often to prevent naming and shaming, they cover the perpetuators to save the family names. This however, gives them the urge to go on and do it unto another person.Most parents fail their responsibilities of really educating their children on Sexual and reproductive health and rights. Most of them are shy to educate their children on those topics. They leave it to teachers to do it. This is very wrong and adds up to the high rates of teenage pregnancies, since girls are then left on their own to discover their bodies and they may get wrong information from their friends.

Target audience: This advocacy campaign targets adolescent girls, parents, teachers, and policy makers.

What change are you trying to create: To give every girl the power within to own their bodies, make their own choices and to voice out all issues of abuse enacted on them.

Why: I want people to work with me on this project because, tradition, ignorance and male supremacy have put women and girls as second owners of their own bodies. Most often they are asked to accept things that people do to their bodies and prevent them from having a voice and the power within to own their own bodies and make their own choices. Some girls believe it to be normal if others decide for them, even when it is at the detriment of their own dreams or aspirations. They simply lack the power within to fight for themselves and the courage to stop others from making choices for them. Some get abused but simply do not have the power to voice it out. Their voices are needed to get perpetrators punished. They also need to be equipped with the information about their bodies to help them to understand themselves and to own themselves.

Where: I will create a facebook page and whatsapp group where people can poste stories of hope, or share stories of how it is important for girls to be equipped with information and to build their confidence to get the power within to voice out abuse and to own their bodies and know what they are about. Face book page will be dedicated to exchanging action plans for sensitization and outreaches with young women and adolescent girls in schools. The Facebook page and WhatsApp group will be used to share information on reproductive health and other topics like confidence building, etc. for girls to get the power within to own themselves and to believe in themselves. I will use animation that will educate girls to stand up for themselves to own their bodies and voice out issues of abuse enacted on them. I believe such animation will be a fun way to learn and to get people to support /like the platforms and to participate in my agenda.

Radio: I will also go on radio /radio programmes which are dedicated to the development of women and girls to educate and to canvass for support for people to join and to participate in my agenda.

Incentive: people should get involved because it is when the adolescents are given a voice that they will grow to have the power within to voice out all forms of abuse. Equipping them with information and the knowledge for them to own their bodies will build their confidence and they will grow in confidence of themselves, knowing their place in life and their dignity. A well educated women will be able to educate her children and equip them with knowledge and information to have a voice, to own themselves, and to have a voice in all sectors of life. People who get involved will be given the platform to share their rich experiences and ideas to encourage young women and girls and to inspire them to take the right course to make their lives better, it is when people share their stories that others identify with them and get some encouragement to work hard to make their lives better and meaningful.

Ripples: I am asking my audience now to take a stance and to pass on the information to get more girls educated on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). I'm asking them to help give them a voice, to own their bodies and to voice out all issues of abuse enacted on them, and their colleague girls and young women. Additionally, people who like the Facebook page and participate in community posts will receive a special invitation to a live action group planning session. Again such people will be invited to join in some of the outreach sessions in some selected schools to educate and inspire young women and adolescent girls.

How to Get Involved

facebook: Women Aspire Ghana.

email:womenaspireghana@yahoo.com