The project is part of the effort to fight child marriages, commercial sex exploitation of children, sexual violence and abuse.     It is being implemented in 10 selected communities across the Bekwai municipality – Kokofu, Sebedie, Edwenase, Asaaman, Kwaman, Essumeja, Nampansa, Bekwai-Zongo and Nyameduase.

Ms. Aba Oppong, Board Chairperson of the Rights and Responsibilities Initiatives Ghana (RRIG), an NGO spearheading the project, said providing girls’ access technical and vocational training was vital to make them employable and economically self-supporting. It was the way forward to lift many out of poverty, she added.

She therefore called for political leaders to ensure that the protection of the girl-child was made an urgent priority. She underlined the determination of her organization to deepen the conversation with the appropriate state institutions to strengthen the enforcement of child protection laws.  She indicated that children could not continue to have their fundamental rights abused - physically and sexually assaulted.

Madam Faustina Osei Prempeh, acting Director of the Organization, said the project was a continuation of the Girl Power Project, which was implemented five years ago in Ashanti, Eastern and the Upper West Regions.She advised adolescent girls to focus on education and refuse to be either lured or forced into early marriages.

Nana Adwoa Pinamang, Queen of Bekwai, applauded the NGO for the project and pledged her total support.