Mr Akuka Yakubu, the Upper East Regional Programme Manager of ActionAid Ghana, who made the call, stressed that the sexual abuse and exploitation were particularly alarming in the Upper East Region, where teenage pregnancy and sexual exploitation continue to increase.

He described the situation as alarming, citing data from the Ghana Health Service, which recorded 2,436 teenage pregnancies, including 25 pregnancies among girls aged 10 to 14 in the Upper East Region between January and May 2025 alone.
“These numbers are not just statistics; they are a stark signal that something is wrong somewhere. Behind each case is a girl whose dignity, future and right to bodily integrity have been violated,” he said.

Speaking at a Regional Stakeholders Dialogue in Bolgatanga to mark the World Day for the Prevention and Healing from Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Violence, Mr Yakubu said the scale of sexual violations against girls demanded urgent and collective action grounded in accountability and survivor protection.

The dialogue was held on the theme: “Ending Sexual Abuse and Teenage Pregnancies Through Collective Action”, and it brought together stakeholders from state child protection, gender and human rights institutions and adolescent school children.

Mr Yakubu noted that despite efforts by stakeholders, cases of defilement and sexual abuse remained high, with many more likely unreported due to stigma, fear, and weak reporting channels.
He stressed the need for a robust, interconnected response mechanism linking schools, the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU), Social Welfare, health facilities, and community structures to ensure that survivors received “immediate, dignified and professional support”.
“We must replace impunity with accountability. Protecting children is non-negotiable, whether the perpetrator is a teacher, a peer, or a community member,” he added.

The Regional Programme Manager emphasised ActionAid’s feminist and human rights approach, which prioritised girls’ bodily autonomy and the creation of safer, more empowering environments for young women.
He referenced a recent ActionAid study, which revealed that 44 per cent of young women surveyed across three regions had experienced sexually oriented behaviour at the workplace.

Mr Yakubu called for comprehensive sexuality education rooted in rights and consent, investments in safe spaces for girls, strengthened guidance and counselling systems in schools, and community-led efforts to dismantle the culture of silence around sexual abuse.
Ms Dora Kulariba, the Upper East Regional Adolescent Focal Person of the Ghana Health Service, noted that the region had recorded 4,540 pregnancies from January to October this year and called for urgent action to curb the rise.

Mr Abdulai Jaladeen, Upper East Regional Director of the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), said the disparity between the laws of marriage and consent to sex, which put the ages at 16 and 18 years, was a contributory factor to many challenges facing the adolescent girls.
He therefore reiterated the calls for the government to take steps to reconcile the two ages to strengthen the legal systems against perpetrators of sexual abuse and exploitation.

In a speech read on his behalf, Mr Donatus Atanga Akamugri, the Upper East Regional Minister, said the region could not develop when children, especially girls, continue to face abuses and exploitation.
He called for collective action from all stakeholders to work towards creating a safe environment for every child to thrive and unearth their potential without barriers.