The 2020 State of the World Population (SWOP) Report brought to the attention of the international community the need to defy the practices that harm women and girls and undermine equality. In this year’s commemoration of the World Population Day as well, we have decided to give concentration to safeguarding the health and rights of women and girls in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

At country level, the UNFPA Ghana Country office has collaborated with Government partners, traditional leaders, civil society and youth groups to advance the issues of equality, justice, fairness and the need to eliminate harmful practices affecting girls including Child Marriage, Female Genital Mutilation and also Son Preference.

One of the platforms that afforded the Country Office the chance to promote issues of the 2020 SWOP and the World Population Day celebration was GTV’s primetime talk show, Talking Point, hosted by Dr. G.K. Anim-Wright. Appearing on the show were the UNFPA Country Representative, Mr. Niyi Ojuolape and the Executive Director of the National Population Council, Dr. Letitia Appiah, who jointly highlighted and advocated for social change to improve the Ghanaian population.

Dr. Appiah said, ‘We need to confront cultural practices that do not benefit our society, and that includes Child Marriage.’ She added that Sustainable Development should be prioritized with intentional policy-making.

On his part, Mr. Ojuolape cited the ‘importance of the Government to pay attention to issues affecting women, with studies showing that about 7 million risk not having access to contraception to plan families.