Unintended pregnancies, sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), and harmful practices (HPs) remain significant issues in Ghana despite the implementation of gender-responsive policies like the Adolescent Reproductive Health Policy (ARHP) in 2000, the Sexual and Reproductive Health Policy for young people in 2015, and the Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) policy in 2019. Inadequate enforcement has resulted in over half a million teenage pregnancies over the last five years (DHIMS, 2021), averaging over 112,800 annually. Additionally, child marriage rates are at 21%.
The SPARKS project (Strategic Policy Advocacy for Reproductive Knowledge and Services) aims to address these challenges through a multifaceted approach. This includes a social media advocacy campaign to reach over 100,000 users, including policymakers, and stakeholder meetings to establish a Youth Council on Gender-Responsive Policy Dialogue.
Targeting young people aged 13-35 as primary beneficiaries, the project also aims to influence policymakers, stakeholders, and the broader community over three months. The ultimate goal is to strengthen the implementation and uptake of policies safeguarding the rights and well-being of adolescent girls and young women (AGYW), contributing to SDG 3. This will enhance AGYW involvement in decision-making across governance tiers, increase cooperation among relevant actors, and ultimately reduce the incidence of HPs, SGBV, and poor sexual and reproductive health (SRH).
