Savana Signatures organized community durbars in Langbinsi and Langbina in the East Mamprusi District, to promote Meaningful Youth Participation, giving young people in the area a platform to share their experiences based on their training on Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) and making a case for its acceptance among their parents and community leadership. Key in attendance were Chiefs, Sub-Chiefs, religious leaders, teachers, PTA executives among others.

According to a 2017 study by Dindiok, published in the University of Ghana Digital Collection (Curbing Teenage Pregnancy and Unsafe Abortion, p.67) in the East Mamprusi District, people “believed that discussing issues of sex with teenagers will lead them into sexual relationships. Sentiments against abortion was strong and abhorred in the community”. A 44 year old participant in the study indicated that, “…parents do not even want to talk about sex because they believe that telling your daughter that she is getting matured or matured and should not engage in early sex will give her the opportunity to indulge in it. So they normally say that the child will ‘spoil’ if such information is given to her”. Participants of the study also highlighted the culture of silence on matters related to sexual and reproductive health, a situation that has over the years, negatively impacted young people especially girls in accessing information on Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) as well as youth-friendly healthcare services.

CSE lesson facilitation was also observed as a means of reviewing the approach, methodology and content to ensure it meets CSE standards. Already existing school CSE clubs with a membership of 50 students in upper primary school and two teachers as club facilitators in Zogligu, Dagbiribuari, and Gambaga also in the East Mamprusi District were the target of this review.

These activities are in furtherance of the Get Up and Speak Out (GUSO) project’s goal of making all young people, especially girls and women, fully enjoy their sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in a productive, equal and healthy society.

The team from Savana Signatures also paid a courtesy call on Hawa Yussif Pont, the East Mamprusi District Director of Education, to engage and reinforce the existing relationship to promote CSE among schools in the district. She commended the organization for the efforts being made to reduce teenage pregnancy in the district, assuring of her support for activities in that regard.