GRI marks International Day of the Girl Child

Dignitaries at the event with the children in a photograph

Ghana Reads Initiative (GRI) has marked the International Day of the Girl Child in Accra with a call on stakeholders to provide better conditions for the girl child to thrive.

The day which was marked on the theme “Our time is now… yes we can make it” was aimed at recognising the rights and potential of girls in the country.

The day was also used in celebrat­ing Accra’s recognition as the 2023 United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) World Book Capital for 2023.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Director of the Girls Education Divi­sion at the Ghana Education Service (GES), Mrs Gifty Asiedu, said the day was set aside by the United Nations (UN) as one of the tools to compete for better conditions and rights for girls in a world where opportunities will be equally accessible to all.

She said girls faced unique chal­lenges such as marginalisation, gender based violence and limited opportunities across all sectors in various forms.

She identified other challenges as access to education, nutrition, legal rights, medical care, forced mar­riage, and others.

Mrs Asiedu said Accra’s recognition as the world capital was a testa­ment to the power of knowledge and literacy as a tool to equip the next generation with skills.

“Both have the unique ability to educate and enlighten. As we cel­ebrate this achievement, we also recognise the importance of ensuring that girls have the same access to books, education, and information as their male counterparts,” she added.

Mrs Asiedu said education was not just a pathway but a key to unlocking the potential of girls, and that it was important to invest in their education and provide a safe and supportive environment for everyone to learn and grow.

A Queen from the Teiko Tsuru We, Manye Naa Ameley Tesaa urged the pupils to read in order to get infor­mation and knowledge and encour­aged them to save to buy books for themselves.

She urged parents to build relation­ships with their children so that they would be able to confide in them.

The Board Chairperson of Ghana Reads Initiative, Tina Aforo-Yeboah called for increased attention and resourcing of key areas that would enable girls realise their rights and achieve their full potential.

She urged the children to learn how to read and write stories of their own, saying “last year we unveiled a book written and authored by a nine-year old girl with support from Adwinsa Publications Limited.”

Ghana Reads Initiative (GRI) has marked the International Day of the Girl Child in Accra with a call on stakeholders to provide better conditions for the girl child to thrive.

The day which was marked on the theme “Our time is now… yes we can make it” was aimed at recognising the rights and potential of girls in the country.

The day was also used in celebrat­ing Accra’s recognition as the 2023 United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) World Book Capital for 2023.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Director of the Girls Education Divi­sion at the Ghana Education Service (GES), Mrs Gifty Asiedu, said the day was set aside by the United Nations (UN) as one of the tools to compete for better conditions and rights for girls in a world where opportunities will be equally accessible to all.

She said girls faced unique chal­lenges such as marginalisation, gender based violence and limited opportunities across all sectors in various forms.

She identified other challenges as access to education, nutrition, legal rights, medical care, forced mar­riage, and others.

Mrs Asiedu said Accra’s recognition as the world capital was a testa­ment to the power of knowledge and literacy as a tool to equip the next generation with skills.

“Both have the unique ability to educate and enlighten. As we cel­ebrate this achievement, we also recognise the importance of ensuring that girls have the same access to books, education, and information as their male counterparts,” she added.

Mrs Asiedu said education was not just a pathway but a key to unlocking the potential of girls, and that it was important to invest in their education and provide a safe and supportive environment for everyone to learn and grow.

A Queen from the Teiko Tsuru We, Manye Naa Ameley Tesaa urged the pupils to read in order to get infor­mation and knowledge and encour­aged them to save to buy books for themselves.

She urged parents to build relation­ships with their children so that they would be able to confide in them.

The Board Chairperson of Ghana Reads Initiative, Tina Aforo-Yeboah called for increased attention and resourcing of key areas that would enable girls realise their rights and achieve their full potential.

She urged the children to learn how to read and write stories of their own, saying “last year we unveiled a book written and authored by a nine-year old girl with support from Adwinsa Publications Limited.”

By Jemima Esinam Kuatsinu