Protocol
I participate in this event with so much joy in my heart. This is because I can see in my mind’s eye 20 years of young people speaking passionately on issues which affect them and making impact which has been acknowledged by many is no mean an achievement. I say “Ayeekooo”. I have been reliably informed that Curious Minds is the brain child of the then Women in Broadcasting group and so it goes to corroborate the saying that if you educate a woman, you educate an entire nation.
UNFPA started working with Curious Minds in the year 2000 on many issues some of which are the ratification of the African Youth Charter, development of the National Youth policy, MDG and ICPD reviews and consultations, to mention just a few. Notably, Curious Minds leadership in the development of the 2011-2015 National HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan and the youth HIV programming matrix is very commendable.
We at UNFPA have seen these young gallant people grow from the little Samuel Kissi to a young man working with the UN currently, tiny Sidney Hushie to a man working with the British council; we recall little Grace going round Central Accra in the middle of the night to bring out evidence of Kayayei sleeping in the open, today we go to Dr Gyimah Boateng for our medical checkups. We have photographs of Etse Sikanku conducting outreach activities in communities with their outside broadcasting module. Today Dr. Sikanku is a lecturer teaching and training other young people in communication and advocacy at the University of Ghana. Young Edith Asamani was only yesterday running around and asking for materials to help her articulate herself on air. She is now one of the people mentoring other young women after her national service with UNFPA. We cannot imagine seeing the Emmanuels, Richards, Davids and Bintas. The list can go on and on and on. What a JOY.
Indeed you often set the agenda for the young people as you just demonstrated at the beginning of the year where you successfully hosted an international conference to the admiration of everyone including the President of the Republic of Ghana HE John Dramani Mahama and the many international dignitaries at the 7th Africa conference on sexual health. We believe in UNFPA that every young person has a dream and that dream must be fulfilled hence our continuous support and you have been up to the task.
I encourage you to continue to advocate for the millions of girls in Ghana and around the world, for whom gender equality and the full enjoyment of human rights remain elusive. Why do I say so? We know that around the world nearly 14 million children are forced into marriage every year; that is 37,000 girls being denied their fundamental human rights every single day! Every day, 7.3 million babies in developing countries are born to mothers who are 17 years old or younger. One in every three women is subject to genderbased violence, and 200 million women and girls alive today have undergone female genital mutilation.
Today, on the launch of this anniversary, I call on all of you to take action to protect the rights of girls and the vulnerable in society for a world of equity.
Gender equality and equal protection of human rights, including the right to sexual and reproductive health, are important in and of themselves. They are also a means to achieving internationally agreed-upon social and economic objectives, including the new Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the international community in September 2015. These goals emphasize the achievement of gender equality, good health and quality education for all and the elimination of poverty.
For more than four decades, UNFPA has helped improve young people’s health and advance their rights. The Fund will continue pushing the health and rights agenda through 2030, when the Sustainable Development Goals are to be achieved, and beyond, until all young people particularly girls everywhere are on an equal footing with adults and have the power and the means to exercise their basic human rights.
Thank you Curious Minds for being such a great window of opportunity for UNFPA to have unrestricted access to so many young people in our programming. We will continue to be with you and you know we will never stop until every young person’s potential is fulfilled.
Long Live the Curious Minds, Long live Young People and Long Live Ghana.
Thank you for your attention.
