Last month and this month Youth Education Network has conducted Girls workshops in one of the counties in our country help stop increased teenage pregnancies and early marriages for our school girls Since schools closed down in March because of the Pandemic girls have engaged in sexual activities to beat boredom. Others can not afford basic needs like sanitary towels and Personal Preventive Equipment so they say they go into sex to earn these basic needs. Their parents most of them lost their jobs and so have no money and both fathers and mothers go round looking for odd jobs to earn a living for their families. They have no time for their adolescent girls . This situation is worrying because majority of the girls may not go back to school, hence no furthering education for girls, no jobs for them in future, no knowledge, back under their male counterparts to feed them as it was years back, The level of GBV acquired will drop by a big percentage.
In our workshops we equip the girls (some come with their babies, some are pregnant and other are yet to get into this) with sexual education and encourage them to keep off sex and instead think of going back to school. For those girls and women who are victims of defilement, abuse and physical harassment we advise them on how to go about seeking legal action against the offenders. We encourage them to speak out not cover it up as most of them do in fear of further harassment.
Through technology women and girls should share and exchange experiences about GBV Women should learn to speak with one voice about GBV
Parents should create time for their children and guide them as much as possible. Years ago there was what we called Collective Parenting. Any parent would confidently correct a child whenever he or she found him or her making mistakes. This was done on the sport but with current nuclear concept of parenting nobody cares about the other's children.
Anyway let us encourage all our children to go back to school particularly girls!!
Hi there,
Thanks for sharing your update. Please keep up your great work. It sounds like it's sorely needed.
Yes, thank you for your appreciation. We shall continue empowering the girl child during this Covid-19 encouraging them to go back to school In January and providing those who need sanitary towels and masks
You're welcome. Great to hear!
Education and a safe place to learn is key, as you say.
Thank you Beth, for your supporting comment. Indeed without education for both our girls and boys the gender equality empowerment we have done over the years will go. The girls will be tools for early marriages, sexual abuse, physical harassment and the worst of it all NO VOICE!