Mr Seth Asumaning, Plan Ghana International District Development Coordinator for the Volta Region announced this during a Regional Child Protection Review Meeting in Ho.He said the sporting event would serve as a bait to gather the girls for talks on reproductive health issues, abuses and their rights.

Mr Asumaning said the target areas were the Organisation’s operational districts-Hohoe, Afadjato South and South Tongu. He said Plan Ghana International already had Rights of Children Clubs in 30 communities in the districts alongside Community Child Protection Committees and expressed the hope that the initiative would further help reduce cases of teenage pregnancy and other forms of abuses.

 Mr Asumaning said his outfit had received positive responses from the communities on the girls’ football idea and expressed optimism that it could be the game changer in child protection campaign in the Region.

Mr Israel Aklobortu, Regional Director, Depart of Children, commended Plan Ghana International for the foresight and stated the preparedness of the Regional Child Protection Committee to support the initiative.

He mentioned teenage pregnancy, early marriage, streetism and child labour as major child-related challenges confronting the Region and called for concerted efforts to address them.  Some participants were however not happy with the lack of playing grounds for children in the Region, especially in Ho.