Story: Salome Donkor
THE 2008 African Report of Child Well-being, has rated Ghana 29th in terms of the country’s efforts to improve child well-being.
Prepared by The African Child Policy Forum (ACPF), an independent, Pan- African policy and advocacy centre based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the report reviews and compares the performance of 52 African governments using a common set of indicators and an innovative Child-friendliness Index developed by ACPF.
The report that scores and ranks the performance of African governments in terms of their efforts to improve child well-being, is prepared every two years and the current one was launched on 20 November 2008 in Nairobi and Amsterdam. The report was made possible through the financial support of International Child Support (ICS) and Plan International.
Ghana is among countries like Uganda, Nigeria, Tanzania, Gabon, Mozambique, Togo, Zambia, Mauritania, Djibouti, Democratic Republic of Congo and Niger that were categorised as fairly Child Friendly Countries.
The most Child Friendly Countries include Mauritius, Namibia, Tunisia, Libya, Morocco, Kenya, South Africa, Algeria and Cape Verde.
According to the report, a child-friendly government is “one that is making the maximum effort to meet its obligations to respect, protect and fulfil child rights and ensure child well-being.”
Dr Assefa Bequele, Executive Director of ACPF, in a statement said African Governments had an impressive record in their formal accession to the relevant child-focused international treaties. But the extent of their commitment to children’s issues varies widely, and the gap between promises and reality remains wide in many countries.
Dr Salim Ahmed Salim, former Foreign Minister of Tanzania and a three-term former Secretary General of Organisation of African Union (OAU) now African Union, in a statement said “we are convinced that the report is a significant contribution to public policy. It is an African report on African children by an African organisation”. In another statement, Professor Jaap Doek, former Chair of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, adds that “This is a meticulously researched and evidence - based report, and the first of its kind on the subject in the region.”
A statement issued by Mr Bright Appiah, Executive Director of Child’s Rights International, a Ghanaian child’s rights organisation, said the extent to which government respected children and protected them from harm and abuse, and provided them with opportunities for a healthy and productive life had an impact both on the future of the children concerned and the future of the country.
It added that a healthy, well-fed and educated child population was necessary to build a foundation for productive and knowledge-based economy that could make the people participate effectively in today’s globalised world.
“Similarly, the way we raise and treat our children at home and at school is critical for what they will be as adults and citizens. A child growing up in an environment where he sees his mother being beaten by the father, where girls are discriminated against and excluded, where differing views and opinions are not tolerated, and where choices are not negotiated contribute to chaos and democratic disorder” it said.
The statement made reference to the fact that Ghana was the first country in the world to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and urged the government to lay down the appropriate legal and policy frameworks that must be reflected in the laws, policies on government’s commitment to child protection
It said the most Child Friendly countries earned that rating because they put in place appropriate legal provisions to protect children against abuse and exploitation; they also allocated a relatively higher share of their budgets to provide for the basic needs of children and their resources were effectively used and the results reflected in the children themselves.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
MOWAC advised to reprioritise its activities - To provide skills training
Story: Salome Donkor
THE Parliamentary Committee on Gender and Children has advised the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs (MOWAC) to reprioritise its activities in order to provide skills training for women’s groups under the ministry’s budget allocation for 2010.
The committee stated that in reviewing the performance of MOWAC in 2009, it realised that no skills training and economic support was provided for women’s groups, adding, “The committee considers this situation as unfortunate, since other activities of the ministry were undertaken to the detriment of the economic empowerment of women groups.”
This was contained in the committee’s report on the 2010 annual budget estimates of the MOWAC that was presented to Parliament on Friday by the Chairman of the committee, Mr Sampson Ahi.
It said providing skills training and economic support for women’s groups was a means of empowering women financially and thereby accelerating the socio-economic development of the country.
The committee appealed to the government to adequately resource MOWAC to enable it to deliver on its mandate. It also urged the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning not to relent in its efforts at ensuring that promises made in the budget statement were fulfilled.
It indicated that in view of government’s commitment to the empowerment of women, particularly the vulnerable, the rural and urban poor, as well as facilitating the survival, protection and development of the Ghanaian child, MOWAC’s budgetary allocation, compared to the national budget, had been below 1.0 per cent over the years.
It stated that for 2010, the budgetary requirement of MOWAC was GH¢5,344,336 but that amount had been slashed to GH¢4,139,59.
It indicated that the concept of gender was cross-cutting and inextricably linked to development, adding that if Ghana was to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015, the government must demonstrate its commitment towards gender equality, the promise of empowering women, as well as the protection and development of children by allocating resources to MOWAC in future budget estimates.
The committee noted with concern the over reliance on donor funds for the programmes and activities of MOWAC and indicated, for instance, that in 2008, MOWAC was to benefit from donor funds to the tune of GH¢570,479.
It said the ministry’s projection for 2009 was GH¢6,768,571, out of which only GH¢1,752,092.94 had been released to MOWAC as of November ending.
It said in 2010, donor funds allocated to MOWAC was GH¢4,371,404, noting that although that amount had been slashed compared to the approved amount for 2009, it represented 53.62 per cent of the total budgetary allocation made to the ministry.
The committee noted that the situation was not a healthy development, since any delays or problems encountered in accessing those funds would disrupt the service and investment programmes of the ministry, thereby impacting negatively on its performance.
It also touched on the need to provide an office space for MOWAC and its departments and urged the sector minister to ensure that the construction of an office complex to accommodate the staff and the secretariats of the ministry commenced in 2010, since MOWAC had land demarcated for an office complex.
The report also touched on the outlook of the ministry for 2010 and said MOWAC would continue to collaborate with stakeholders, organisations and development partners to collectively address women’s reproductive health, infant and maternal mortality, child trafficking, child labour, streetism, irregular migration and other issues of national concern to women and children.
The ministry would also review the National Gender and Children’s Policy and ensure the Savanna Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) policy document was engendered to cater for the needs of women and children in the project areas and particularly to halt the irregular migration of young women and other youth from the northern to the southern parts of the country.
THE Parliamentary Committee on Gender and Children has advised the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs (MOWAC) to reprioritise its activities in order to provide skills training for women’s groups under the ministry’s budget allocation for 2010.
The committee stated that in reviewing the performance of MOWAC in 2009, it realised that no skills training and economic support was provided for women’s groups, adding, “The committee considers this situation as unfortunate, since other activities of the ministry were undertaken to the detriment of the economic empowerment of women groups.”
This was contained in the committee’s report on the 2010 annual budget estimates of the MOWAC that was presented to Parliament on Friday by the Chairman of the committee, Mr Sampson Ahi.
It said providing skills training and economic support for women’s groups was a means of empowering women financially and thereby accelerating the socio-economic development of the country.
The committee appealed to the government to adequately resource MOWAC to enable it to deliver on its mandate. It also urged the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning not to relent in its efforts at ensuring that promises made in the budget statement were fulfilled.
It indicated that in view of government’s commitment to the empowerment of women, particularly the vulnerable, the rural and urban poor, as well as facilitating the survival, protection and development of the Ghanaian child, MOWAC’s budgetary allocation, compared to the national budget, had been below 1.0 per cent over the years.
It stated that for 2010, the budgetary requirement of MOWAC was GH¢5,344,336 but that amount had been slashed to GH¢4,139,59.
It indicated that the concept of gender was cross-cutting and inextricably linked to development, adding that if Ghana was to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015, the government must demonstrate its commitment towards gender equality, the promise of empowering women, as well as the protection and development of children by allocating resources to MOWAC in future budget estimates.
The committee noted with concern the over reliance on donor funds for the programmes and activities of MOWAC and indicated, for instance, that in 2008, MOWAC was to benefit from donor funds to the tune of GH¢570,479.
It said the ministry’s projection for 2009 was GH¢6,768,571, out of which only GH¢1,752,092.94 had been released to MOWAC as of November ending.
It said in 2010, donor funds allocated to MOWAC was GH¢4,371,404, noting that although that amount had been slashed compared to the approved amount for 2009, it represented 53.62 per cent of the total budgetary allocation made to the ministry.
The committee noted that the situation was not a healthy development, since any delays or problems encountered in accessing those funds would disrupt the service and investment programmes of the ministry, thereby impacting negatively on its performance.
It also touched on the need to provide an office space for MOWAC and its departments and urged the sector minister to ensure that the construction of an office complex to accommodate the staff and the secretariats of the ministry commenced in 2010, since MOWAC had land demarcated for an office complex.
The report also touched on the outlook of the ministry for 2010 and said MOWAC would continue to collaborate with stakeholders, organisations and development partners to collectively address women’s reproductive health, infant and maternal mortality, child trafficking, child labour, streetism, irregular migration and other issues of national concern to women and children.
The ministry would also review the National Gender and Children’s Policy and ensure the Savanna Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) policy document was engendered to cater for the needs of women and children in the project areas and particularly to halt the irregular migration of young women and other youth from the northern to the southern parts of the country.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Stand up to violence against women
Article: Salome Donkor
ON December 17, 1999, the United Nations General Assembly, by Resolution 54/134, designated November 25 as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and invited governments, international organisations and NGOs to organise activities designated to raise public awareness of the problem on that day.
Before that, women's activists had, since 1981, marked November 25 as a day against violence. November 25, 1960 marked the brutal assassination of the three Mirabal sisters, political activists in the Dominican Republic, on the orders of the Dominican ruler, Rafael Trujillo (1930-1961).
According to Article 1 of the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the term "violence against women" means any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life
The Executive Director of The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Ms Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, in a message to mark the day, called on all to take a stand and say loud and clear, ‘No to violence against women’.
She indicated that every day, women and girls were subjected to domestic violence, exploitation, sexual violence, trafficking, harmful traditional practices such as bride burning and early marriages and other forms of violence against their bodies, minds and human dignity.
“As many as one in three women has been beaten, coerced into sex or abused in some other way,” she said, and called on the global community to come together to demand an end to the most pervasive, yet least reported, human rights abuse in the world in the 16 days leading up to Human Rights Day and every day.
She welcomed the leadership example exhibited by what she termed “a new network of men leaders, led by the United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, as part of the United Nations UNite Campaign to end violence against girls and women” and lauded the commitment to actively engage men and boys in the cause to end impunity, promote justice and human rights and end widespread violence against girls and women.
She said whether they were policy makers, community or religious leaders, fathers or husbands, uncles, brothers or young boys, they could all do their part to eliminate all forms of violence against women.
The Executive Director also welcomed the recent Security Council resolutions 1888 and 1889 that strengthened accountability to women and girls in conflict and post-conflict situations, adding that by condemning sexual violence, calling for a stronger role for women in peace building and mandating peacekeeping missions to protect women and girls, the resolutions signalled a political commitment to address sexual violence as a peace and security issue.
In a statement to mark the day read on the floor of Ghana’s Parliament, the MP for Savelugu and Chairperson of the Women Caucus in Parliament, Madam Mary Salifu Boforo, said in most cases, violence against women went unreported because majority of the victims were afraid to lose their marital status, while some were ignorant of their rights.
She noted that some harmful attitudes against women were reinforced by certain religious and other community leaders who exhorted women to stand by their husbands in all circumstances, while at the same time failing to take a clear stand against wife battery and marital rape.
A number of challenges and negative practices continue to affect the development of women in Africa and other parts of the world. Problems impeding their ability to expand their capabilities, how to attain their full freedom and dignity and how to promote and sustain empowerment programmes are some of the inequalities confronting African women in their daily lives.
In a report on violence against women in Ghana, the UN Division for the Advancement of Women indicated that widowhood rites included confining the widow to a room, shaving her head, having her wear a rope around her neck and making her go through a ritual bath.
In some African countries, women still lack access to economic rights and land ownership, ability to influence reproductive and family development such as who to marry, how many children to have and their spacing.
The Network of Women’s Rights in Ghana (NETRIGHT), a coalition of organisations and individuals advocating for gender equity, which made an assessment on issues of concern to women in Africa in 2008, has established that discriminatory practices against women in the name of culture still prevails in Africa, while increasing efforts are being made to address them.
All segments of society must, therefore, unite for the dignity and well-being of women and girls, for now is the time to build a society based on respect for fundamental human rights and the equal rights of men and women.
ON December 17, 1999, the United Nations General Assembly, by Resolution 54/134, designated November 25 as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and invited governments, international organisations and NGOs to organise activities designated to raise public awareness of the problem on that day.
Before that, women's activists had, since 1981, marked November 25 as a day against violence. November 25, 1960 marked the brutal assassination of the three Mirabal sisters, political activists in the Dominican Republic, on the orders of the Dominican ruler, Rafael Trujillo (1930-1961).
According to Article 1 of the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the term "violence against women" means any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life
The Executive Director of The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Ms Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, in a message to mark the day, called on all to take a stand and say loud and clear, ‘No to violence against women’.
She indicated that every day, women and girls were subjected to domestic violence, exploitation, sexual violence, trafficking, harmful traditional practices such as bride burning and early marriages and other forms of violence against their bodies, minds and human dignity.
“As many as one in three women has been beaten, coerced into sex or abused in some other way,” she said, and called on the global community to come together to demand an end to the most pervasive, yet least reported, human rights abuse in the world in the 16 days leading up to Human Rights Day and every day.
She welcomed the leadership example exhibited by what she termed “a new network of men leaders, led by the United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, as part of the United Nations UNite Campaign to end violence against girls and women” and lauded the commitment to actively engage men and boys in the cause to end impunity, promote justice and human rights and end widespread violence against girls and women.
She said whether they were policy makers, community or religious leaders, fathers or husbands, uncles, brothers or young boys, they could all do their part to eliminate all forms of violence against women.
The Executive Director also welcomed the recent Security Council resolutions 1888 and 1889 that strengthened accountability to women and girls in conflict and post-conflict situations, adding that by condemning sexual violence, calling for a stronger role for women in peace building and mandating peacekeeping missions to protect women and girls, the resolutions signalled a political commitment to address sexual violence as a peace and security issue.
In a statement to mark the day read on the floor of Ghana’s Parliament, the MP for Savelugu and Chairperson of the Women Caucus in Parliament, Madam Mary Salifu Boforo, said in most cases, violence against women went unreported because majority of the victims were afraid to lose their marital status, while some were ignorant of their rights.
She noted that some harmful attitudes against women were reinforced by certain religious and other community leaders who exhorted women to stand by their husbands in all circumstances, while at the same time failing to take a clear stand against wife battery and marital rape.
A number of challenges and negative practices continue to affect the development of women in Africa and other parts of the world. Problems impeding their ability to expand their capabilities, how to attain their full freedom and dignity and how to promote and sustain empowerment programmes are some of the inequalities confronting African women in their daily lives.
In a report on violence against women in Ghana, the UN Division for the Advancement of Women indicated that widowhood rites included confining the widow to a room, shaving her head, having her wear a rope around her neck and making her go through a ritual bath.
In some African countries, women still lack access to economic rights and land ownership, ability to influence reproductive and family development such as who to marry, how many children to have and their spacing.
The Network of Women’s Rights in Ghana (NETRIGHT), a coalition of organisations and individuals advocating for gender equity, which made an assessment on issues of concern to women in Africa in 2008, has established that discriminatory practices against women in the name of culture still prevails in Africa, while increasing efforts are being made to address them.
All segments of society must, therefore, unite for the dignity and well-being of women and girls, for now is the time to build a society based on respect for fundamental human rights and the equal rights of men and women.
Be part of the ‘Know Your HIV Status Campaign’
Article: Salome Donkor
Comments and reactions by some people to issues relating to HIV and AIDS tend to show that they have rather become fatigued with stories on the global pandemic. There are times when people feel reports on the pandemic have become sterile.
To such people, the same story relating to education on the prevention of HIV and AIDS that highlights basic information about the A, B and C (Abstinence, Be faithful and use a Condom) of HIV and AIDS has been told over and over again.
Contrary to that perception, interactions by a group of journalists with persons living with HIV (PLHIV) during a three-day writing clinic organised by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) in Koforidua recently showed that a lot more stories needed to be heard on the epidemic in the country.
The story was told of a young woman who met a would-be partner who had travelled from Europe into the country to get married to her.
The would-be couple took a bold decision and decided to check their HIV status. Before they could go to collect the results of the test, they engaged in unprotected sex and the results proved that the man was positive, while the woman was negative.
Since she had been exposed to the virus through unprotected sex, the woman immediately made her problem known to doctors who put her on anti-retroviral therapy for one month.
Subsequent tests on the woman showed that she had not been infected with the virus.
She was lucky.
There was the pathetic story of another woman whose marriage broke up and after staying single for some years, met a man who married her.
She and her new husband did not go for HIV anti-body test to know their status and three years after their marriage, the man died, while their one-year-old baby fell seriously ill.
Tests conducted on the child showed that she had been infected with HIV. Based on the results, the woman also went for the test and the results proved positive.
One women also described the trauma she went through as a result of stigmatisation by members of her community and close family members. She said because of her HIV positive status that became known to the people following the death of her husband, no hairdresser is prepared to do her hair, as a result of which she wears a wig.
These stories narrated by the PLHIV, provided a compelling description of the context of HIV transmission in Ghana, the extent of fear, misconception, myths and stigmatisation against persons infected and affected with the virus.
These pose a great challenge to the national response to HIV and AIDS with reference to counselling and testing services. These challenges also create gaps in the attainment of universal access target, which is defined as being as close as possible to providing sustainable and quality HIV services that will lead to prevention, as well as offering counselling and support and access to care for all in need by 2010.
In spite of the fact that the annual rate of infection had reduced from 3.6 per cent in 2003 to 1.7 per cent in 2008, HIV is still a problem in Ghana, considering the fact that currently there are an estimated 240,802 HIV positive cases in Ghana, as against 236,151 in 2008.
Majority of the infections in the country, nearly 90 per cent, are within the age group of 15-49 years, with 58 per cent of infected people being women and girls.
Less than 10 per cent of Ghanaians know their HIV status and the aim of this year’s World AIDS Day, which fell on December 1, is to embark on activities that encourage people to buy into the ‘Know Your HIV Status campaign’ being undertaken nation-wide by the Ministry of Health, while emphasising human rights issues which impact on HIV and AIDS.
Currently, heterosexual sex remains the predominant mode of transmission, accounting for 75-80 per cent of all infections. Mother-to-child transmission and transmission through blood and blood products account for 15 per cent and five per cent, respectively.
Other consequences of the burden of the epidemic can be seen in the number of AIDS orphans and adult deaths in the population. In 2000, it was estimated that AIDS accounted for about 12 per cent of all deaths in Ghana, while about 140,000 children had been orphaned as a result of AIDS.
Except for the screening of donated blood and patients with symptoms suggestive of AIDS, routine testing for HIV and AIDS shall not be carried out and testing shall not be done without the knowledge of the subject.
Stigma and discrimination have greatly affected the response to HIV and AIDS. This is because while only 10 per cent of the global population knew their HIV status, in Ghana, it was eight per cent.
This means that a lot more people do not know their status and are likely to be living with the virus but will not know they have it, while a number of those who know their status and are in need of anti-retroviral treatment have refused to go for treatment because of the fear of stigmatisation and discrimination.
Records indicate that about 70,000 people infected with the virus need ARV, but because the knowledge gap is depreciating, resulting in stigmatisation and discrimination and consequent misinformation on transmission and misconception that tend to relate the spread of the virus to superstition, promiscuity and other factors, such people resort to spiritualists for support, while others take herbal concoctions that worsen their conditions.
One important submission made by the Director of Technical Services of the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC), Dr Richard Amenyah, in his presentation and subsequent explanation to issues, was quite revealing and convincing.
He said there was the need for every individual to know his or her HIV status and keep it. This means that people who are now entering marital relationships will know the status of their would-be partners, while those in casual relationships and do not know the status of their partners will make efforts to check their status and practise safe sex.
People who also participate in social activities and strike new acquaintances that could make them engage in unprotected sex need to be wary of the epidemic and appreciate the fact that such behaviour puts them at risk of contracting the virus.
Ghana’s goal is to prevent new HIV infections, as well as mitigate the socio-economic and psychological effects of HIV and AIDS on individuals, communities and the nation. The first national strategic plan focused on five themes: Prevention of new infections; care and support for people living with HIV and AIDS; the creation of an enabling environment for a national response; decentralisation of implementation of HIV and AIDS activities through institutional arrangements; research and monitoring and evaluation of programmes.
The second national strategic plan, currently in process, focuses on: Policy, advocacy and enabling environment; co-ordination and management of the decentralised response; mitigating the economic, socio-cultural and legal impacts; prevention and behaviour change communication; treatment, care and support; research and surveillance and monitoring and evaluation.
This require increased resources, working towards the elimination of stigmatisation, enhanced access to affordable medicines, a reduction in vulnerability of persons affected by HIV and AIDS, particularly orphans, children infected with the virus and the aged.
There is the need to deal with low risk perception, especially among the youth, due to misconception and lack of adequate in-depth knowledge about HIV through the dissemination of information to reduce high risk behaviour and personal risk exposures, stigma reduction, increasing ART therapy to help PLHIVs manage the disease and prolong their life span.
There is the need to utilise HIV prevention services and promote safer sexual practices in the general population, especially among young men and women aged 15-49.
Comments and reactions by some people to issues relating to HIV and AIDS tend to show that they have rather become fatigued with stories on the global pandemic. There are times when people feel reports on the pandemic have become sterile.
To such people, the same story relating to education on the prevention of HIV and AIDS that highlights basic information about the A, B and C (Abstinence, Be faithful and use a Condom) of HIV and AIDS has been told over and over again.
Contrary to that perception, interactions by a group of journalists with persons living with HIV (PLHIV) during a three-day writing clinic organised by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) in Koforidua recently showed that a lot more stories needed to be heard on the epidemic in the country.
The story was told of a young woman who met a would-be partner who had travelled from Europe into the country to get married to her.
The would-be couple took a bold decision and decided to check their HIV status. Before they could go to collect the results of the test, they engaged in unprotected sex and the results proved that the man was positive, while the woman was negative.
Since she had been exposed to the virus through unprotected sex, the woman immediately made her problem known to doctors who put her on anti-retroviral therapy for one month.
Subsequent tests on the woman showed that she had not been infected with the virus.
She was lucky.
There was the pathetic story of another woman whose marriage broke up and after staying single for some years, met a man who married her.
She and her new husband did not go for HIV anti-body test to know their status and three years after their marriage, the man died, while their one-year-old baby fell seriously ill.
Tests conducted on the child showed that she had been infected with HIV. Based on the results, the woman also went for the test and the results proved positive.
One women also described the trauma she went through as a result of stigmatisation by members of her community and close family members. She said because of her HIV positive status that became known to the people following the death of her husband, no hairdresser is prepared to do her hair, as a result of which she wears a wig.
These stories narrated by the PLHIV, provided a compelling description of the context of HIV transmission in Ghana, the extent of fear, misconception, myths and stigmatisation against persons infected and affected with the virus.
These pose a great challenge to the national response to HIV and AIDS with reference to counselling and testing services. These challenges also create gaps in the attainment of universal access target, which is defined as being as close as possible to providing sustainable and quality HIV services that will lead to prevention, as well as offering counselling and support and access to care for all in need by 2010.
In spite of the fact that the annual rate of infection had reduced from 3.6 per cent in 2003 to 1.7 per cent in 2008, HIV is still a problem in Ghana, considering the fact that currently there are an estimated 240,802 HIV positive cases in Ghana, as against 236,151 in 2008.
Majority of the infections in the country, nearly 90 per cent, are within the age group of 15-49 years, with 58 per cent of infected people being women and girls.
Less than 10 per cent of Ghanaians know their HIV status and the aim of this year’s World AIDS Day, which fell on December 1, is to embark on activities that encourage people to buy into the ‘Know Your HIV Status campaign’ being undertaken nation-wide by the Ministry of Health, while emphasising human rights issues which impact on HIV and AIDS.
Currently, heterosexual sex remains the predominant mode of transmission, accounting for 75-80 per cent of all infections. Mother-to-child transmission and transmission through blood and blood products account for 15 per cent and five per cent, respectively.
Other consequences of the burden of the epidemic can be seen in the number of AIDS orphans and adult deaths in the population. In 2000, it was estimated that AIDS accounted for about 12 per cent of all deaths in Ghana, while about 140,000 children had been orphaned as a result of AIDS.
Except for the screening of donated blood and patients with symptoms suggestive of AIDS, routine testing for HIV and AIDS shall not be carried out and testing shall not be done without the knowledge of the subject.
Stigma and discrimination have greatly affected the response to HIV and AIDS. This is because while only 10 per cent of the global population knew their HIV status, in Ghana, it was eight per cent.
This means that a lot more people do not know their status and are likely to be living with the virus but will not know they have it, while a number of those who know their status and are in need of anti-retroviral treatment have refused to go for treatment because of the fear of stigmatisation and discrimination.
Records indicate that about 70,000 people infected with the virus need ARV, but because the knowledge gap is depreciating, resulting in stigmatisation and discrimination and consequent misinformation on transmission and misconception that tend to relate the spread of the virus to superstition, promiscuity and other factors, such people resort to spiritualists for support, while others take herbal concoctions that worsen their conditions.
One important submission made by the Director of Technical Services of the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC), Dr Richard Amenyah, in his presentation and subsequent explanation to issues, was quite revealing and convincing.
He said there was the need for every individual to know his or her HIV status and keep it. This means that people who are now entering marital relationships will know the status of their would-be partners, while those in casual relationships and do not know the status of their partners will make efforts to check their status and practise safe sex.
People who also participate in social activities and strike new acquaintances that could make them engage in unprotected sex need to be wary of the epidemic and appreciate the fact that such behaviour puts them at risk of contracting the virus.
Ghana’s goal is to prevent new HIV infections, as well as mitigate the socio-economic and psychological effects of HIV and AIDS on individuals, communities and the nation. The first national strategic plan focused on five themes: Prevention of new infections; care and support for people living with HIV and AIDS; the creation of an enabling environment for a national response; decentralisation of implementation of HIV and AIDS activities through institutional arrangements; research and monitoring and evaluation of programmes.
The second national strategic plan, currently in process, focuses on: Policy, advocacy and enabling environment; co-ordination and management of the decentralised response; mitigating the economic, socio-cultural and legal impacts; prevention and behaviour change communication; treatment, care and support; research and surveillance and monitoring and evaluation.
This require increased resources, working towards the elimination of stigmatisation, enhanced access to affordable medicines, a reduction in vulnerability of persons affected by HIV and AIDS, particularly orphans, children infected with the virus and the aged.
There is the need to deal with low risk perception, especially among the youth, due to misconception and lack of adequate in-depth knowledge about HIV through the dissemination of information to reduce high risk behaviour and personal risk exposures, stigma reduction, increasing ART therapy to help PLHIVs manage the disease and prolong their life span.
There is the need to utilise HIV prevention services and promote safer sexual practices in the general population, especially among young men and women aged 15-49.
Monday, November 23, 2009
‘EWEC summit provides good experience’
Article: Salome Donkor
Participants at this year’s two-day summit organised by the Eagle Women’s Empowerment Club (EWEC) in Accra had a good and fulfilling experience, as well as a leaning and impacting process that will lead to a greater commitment to help empower African women.
Some of the participants had varied expectations and hoped to be enlightened on the opportunities available to them to give them easy access to loans that would enable them to expand , set up new businesses or climb the corporate ladder.
Others expected to be exposed to innovative ways of doing businesses to enable them to venture into more challenging areas, while some participants also expected to share ideas on business policies that impact positively on their companies and improve their lives.
The Principal of New Business Division of the Ghana Export Promotions Council (GIPC), Mr Isaac Okine, offered a lot of information for the participants in this respect and encouraged them to invest in such areas as power and gas, agriculture, the financial services, tourism, information technology, manufacturing and industries.
He allayed the fears of the women and told them that unlike the negative perception that people, especially women, had about doing business in the country, there were flexible conditions such as tax rebates which included a corporate tax rebate of eight per cent on export income for non-traditional exports; 22 per cent for hotels and 25 per cent for all other activities.
The summit was organised under the auspices of Eagle Productions Limited in collaboration with Africa Business Women’s Network (ABWN), in Accra. It was held on the theme "Synchronising Global Business- A New Orientation for The African Woman".
It brought together women entrepreneurs from Ghana and other West African countries who shared ideas on issues relating to high interest rates and other economic barriers that prevented small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) from flourishing.
Ms Josephine Hayford of Hay Looks Unisex Fashion With Pride deals in embroidery, Buobuo, Agbada, Kalftan, Kente and Asokey, was among a number of exhibitors at the summit.
She said with her natural “Beauty by Design Concept”, she won the Best Young Entrepreneur of the Ghana Association of Women Entrepreneurs between 1997 to 2003, adding that her sense of style, which is key to her continuing strides and achievements in the sector, made her the best producer of elegant, gorgeous and stunning African wears for all ages, women, men and children.
Ms Jennifer Nwachukwu of Designer’s Choice, whose organisation, located on the Spintex Road in Accra, designs hats, beads and headgear and markets lace materials, shoes, bags and perfumes, expressed optimism that the summit would open new doors for the organisation.
A fashion designer, Ms Doris Owusu Ampomah of Leorus Collection, who markets formal, evening and bridal wear, as well as embroidery designs and interior decorations, spoke about the role of small-scale enterprises in national development , said they needed financial support to expand their businesses.
The President of EWEC, Ms Juliet Asante, said there was the need to encourage women to build their skills and develop their potential in support of the nation’s growth and advancement since they constituted more than half of the nation’s population.
Participants at this year’s two-day summit organised by the Eagle Women’s Empowerment Club (EWEC) in Accra had a good and fulfilling experience, as well as a leaning and impacting process that will lead to a greater commitment to help empower African women.
Some of the participants had varied expectations and hoped to be enlightened on the opportunities available to them to give them easy access to loans that would enable them to expand , set up new businesses or climb the corporate ladder.
Others expected to be exposed to innovative ways of doing businesses to enable them to venture into more challenging areas, while some participants also expected to share ideas on business policies that impact positively on their companies and improve their lives.
The Principal of New Business Division of the Ghana Export Promotions Council (GIPC), Mr Isaac Okine, offered a lot of information for the participants in this respect and encouraged them to invest in such areas as power and gas, agriculture, the financial services, tourism, information technology, manufacturing and industries.
He allayed the fears of the women and told them that unlike the negative perception that people, especially women, had about doing business in the country, there were flexible conditions such as tax rebates which included a corporate tax rebate of eight per cent on export income for non-traditional exports; 22 per cent for hotels and 25 per cent for all other activities.
The summit was organised under the auspices of Eagle Productions Limited in collaboration with Africa Business Women’s Network (ABWN), in Accra. It was held on the theme "Synchronising Global Business- A New Orientation for The African Woman".
It brought together women entrepreneurs from Ghana and other West African countries who shared ideas on issues relating to high interest rates and other economic barriers that prevented small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) from flourishing.
Ms Josephine Hayford of Hay Looks Unisex Fashion With Pride deals in embroidery, Buobuo, Agbada, Kalftan, Kente and Asokey, was among a number of exhibitors at the summit.
She said with her natural “Beauty by Design Concept”, she won the Best Young Entrepreneur of the Ghana Association of Women Entrepreneurs between 1997 to 2003, adding that her sense of style, which is key to her continuing strides and achievements in the sector, made her the best producer of elegant, gorgeous and stunning African wears for all ages, women, men and children.
Ms Jennifer Nwachukwu of Designer’s Choice, whose organisation, located on the Spintex Road in Accra, designs hats, beads and headgear and markets lace materials, shoes, bags and perfumes, expressed optimism that the summit would open new doors for the organisation.
A fashion designer, Ms Doris Owusu Ampomah of Leorus Collection, who markets formal, evening and bridal wear, as well as embroidery designs and interior decorations, spoke about the role of small-scale enterprises in national development , said they needed financial support to expand their businesses.
The President of EWEC, Ms Juliet Asante, said there was the need to encourage women to build their skills and develop their potential in support of the nation’s growth and advancement since they constituted more than half of the nation’s population.
Women’s involvement in ‘galamsey’ - Causes and effects
Article: Salome Donkor
It would be difficult to find words to console the grief-stricken families of the victims of the mining tragedy that hit Dompuase, near Wassa Akropong, in the Western Region.The accident, described as one of the biggest mining tragedies in the country, claimed 18 lives, including that of 14 women, who were buried alive when a landslide struck while they were working in a mining pit last Tuesday.
The deceased were said to be part of a team of about 30 people working in the pit. The accident left one survivor who is also a woman.
While sympathsing with the bereaved families and extending our condolences to them, it is equally important to continue to talk about the accident to collate views from the public on how to resolve the problem and to impress on those in authority to make mining laws effective.
A statement made on the tragedy by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Amenfi East, Mr Joseph Boahen Aidoo, in whose constituency the accident occured, indicated that the women went into the mining pit to carry gold-bearing limestone as a means of livelihood.
According to the MP, almost all the deceased women were single parents who were catering for between two to five children.
It also said two of the women were breastfeeding mothers who always carried their babies strapped to their backs as they worked in the pit but the babies were saved on that fateful day as their mothers decided to leave them in the care of others.
The tragedy brought to the fore the need for state institutions to monitor and control the work of artisanal miners and force them to comply with safety measures.
It also showed the anxiety and determination of rural poor women to make ends meet, though through the most hazardous way.
‘Galamsey’, which is the corrupt version of the phrase, “gather and sell”, is a form of small-scale mining that takes place without official approval. It is carried out openly and often the operators get into confrontation with the law agencies and do not care where the precious mineral must be gathered and sold.
According to Mr Aidoo, the business has one of the largest following in the country in terms of work force and ancillary activities, and those engaged in the bisuness often encroach on the mining concessions.
He said there were over 5,000 people directly involved in the business in the Amenfi East Constituency, while there was an estimated 20,000 people involved in the business in Prestea, with a number of people also in Tarkwa Nsauem, Telekubukazo, Mpohor, Sefwi Juaboso, Bibiani, Obuasi, Konongo, Wa, Bole and wherever gold is.
A survivor in the Dompuase accident was reported to have stated that the pit owner contracted six men and 24 women who entered the pit for the day’s galamsey business and those engaged in the operation did so with simple implements such as shovels, pans, bamboo sticks and even their bare hands, in some cases.
The menial and risky jobs that involve stone digging, crashing, grinding, washing and carrying, mostly invloved children aged between eight and 17 years, who are recruited into galamsey operations, instead of being in school or under some apprenticeship for skills and trade.
As the Dompuase galamsey tragedy was discussed in the media, contributors to the discussions tried to assign reasons for the circumstances that compel women in their prime age and children to desperately dare to engage in such a deadly venture. Some said it was out of desperation for job, hence the need for the government to promote and co-ordinate policies that will enhance the well-being of women and children. Others also attributed the issue to parental neglect and irresponsibility on the part of fathers.
Clearly, the phenomenon of galamsey is a multi-faceted issue that requires a multi-sectoral attention and these concerns seem to have been addressed by the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr Kwabena Duffuor, when he delivered the government's Budget Statement and Economic Policy for the 2010 Fiscal Year that was presented to Parliament on Wednesday.
The minister outlined measures aimed at achieving the government’s objective of promoting women empowerment through the delivery of social programmes targeted at poverty reduction, and indicated that GH¢ 103.8 million is to be allocated to reduce poverty in the country.
He said the amount, which is the government’s projection of the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI) spending for 2010, is to help improve on the financial ability of the poor in the country, most of whom are women and children.
The minister contended that the initiative and other poverty relief initiatives formed part of the government’s policies to protect especially, the vulnerable, rural and urban poor, as well as facilitate the survival, protection and development of the Ghanaian child.
He mentioned other initiatives as the Livelihood Empowerment Programme (LEAP) which he said was going to be allocated with GH¢12 million, the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority programme which will be allocated with GH¢25 million, rural electrification, GH¢30 million and the National Youth Employment Programme, which will benefit from a GH¢15 million package.
To sum up the words of Mr Aidoo, looking for gold or diamonds should not become the only preoccupation of the youth and as he suggested, the enabling conditions should be created to present new but equally lucrative opportunities for the youth and unemployed women.
After announcing these poverty alleviation initives, the next step is to ensure that these initiatives do not remain on paper but effectively implemented to benefit the people.
Furthermore, the call by Mr Aidoo for the strengthening of the country’s mining laws to encourage the use of machinery and equipment in the small-scale mining sector is also valid since it was through such a situation that one could make it impracticable for the use of child labour and eliminate all forms of women labour in unprotected mining pits.
It is obvious that the galamsey phenomenon cannot be eliminated but the work of artisanal miners could be monitored and controlled by state institutions.
It would be difficult to find words to console the grief-stricken families of the victims of the mining tragedy that hit Dompuase, near Wassa Akropong, in the Western Region.The accident, described as one of the biggest mining tragedies in the country, claimed 18 lives, including that of 14 women, who were buried alive when a landslide struck while they were working in a mining pit last Tuesday.
The deceased were said to be part of a team of about 30 people working in the pit. The accident left one survivor who is also a woman.
While sympathsing with the bereaved families and extending our condolences to them, it is equally important to continue to talk about the accident to collate views from the public on how to resolve the problem and to impress on those in authority to make mining laws effective.
A statement made on the tragedy by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Amenfi East, Mr Joseph Boahen Aidoo, in whose constituency the accident occured, indicated that the women went into the mining pit to carry gold-bearing limestone as a means of livelihood.
According to the MP, almost all the deceased women were single parents who were catering for between two to five children.
It also said two of the women were breastfeeding mothers who always carried their babies strapped to their backs as they worked in the pit but the babies were saved on that fateful day as their mothers decided to leave them in the care of others.
The tragedy brought to the fore the need for state institutions to monitor and control the work of artisanal miners and force them to comply with safety measures.
It also showed the anxiety and determination of rural poor women to make ends meet, though through the most hazardous way.
‘Galamsey’, which is the corrupt version of the phrase, “gather and sell”, is a form of small-scale mining that takes place without official approval. It is carried out openly and often the operators get into confrontation with the law agencies and do not care where the precious mineral must be gathered and sold.
According to Mr Aidoo, the business has one of the largest following in the country in terms of work force and ancillary activities, and those engaged in the bisuness often encroach on the mining concessions.
He said there were over 5,000 people directly involved in the business in the Amenfi East Constituency, while there was an estimated 20,000 people involved in the business in Prestea, with a number of people also in Tarkwa Nsauem, Telekubukazo, Mpohor, Sefwi Juaboso, Bibiani, Obuasi, Konongo, Wa, Bole and wherever gold is.
A survivor in the Dompuase accident was reported to have stated that the pit owner contracted six men and 24 women who entered the pit for the day’s galamsey business and those engaged in the operation did so with simple implements such as shovels, pans, bamboo sticks and even their bare hands, in some cases.
The menial and risky jobs that involve stone digging, crashing, grinding, washing and carrying, mostly invloved children aged between eight and 17 years, who are recruited into galamsey operations, instead of being in school or under some apprenticeship for skills and trade.
As the Dompuase galamsey tragedy was discussed in the media, contributors to the discussions tried to assign reasons for the circumstances that compel women in their prime age and children to desperately dare to engage in such a deadly venture. Some said it was out of desperation for job, hence the need for the government to promote and co-ordinate policies that will enhance the well-being of women and children. Others also attributed the issue to parental neglect and irresponsibility on the part of fathers.
Clearly, the phenomenon of galamsey is a multi-faceted issue that requires a multi-sectoral attention and these concerns seem to have been addressed by the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr Kwabena Duffuor, when he delivered the government's Budget Statement and Economic Policy for the 2010 Fiscal Year that was presented to Parliament on Wednesday.
The minister outlined measures aimed at achieving the government’s objective of promoting women empowerment through the delivery of social programmes targeted at poverty reduction, and indicated that GH¢ 103.8 million is to be allocated to reduce poverty in the country.
He said the amount, which is the government’s projection of the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI) spending for 2010, is to help improve on the financial ability of the poor in the country, most of whom are women and children.
The minister contended that the initiative and other poverty relief initiatives formed part of the government’s policies to protect especially, the vulnerable, rural and urban poor, as well as facilitate the survival, protection and development of the Ghanaian child.
He mentioned other initiatives as the Livelihood Empowerment Programme (LEAP) which he said was going to be allocated with GH¢12 million, the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority programme which will be allocated with GH¢25 million, rural electrification, GH¢30 million and the National Youth Employment Programme, which will benefit from a GH¢15 million package.
To sum up the words of Mr Aidoo, looking for gold or diamonds should not become the only preoccupation of the youth and as he suggested, the enabling conditions should be created to present new but equally lucrative opportunities for the youth and unemployed women.
After announcing these poverty alleviation initives, the next step is to ensure that these initiatives do not remain on paper but effectively implemented to benefit the people.
Furthermore, the call by Mr Aidoo for the strengthening of the country’s mining laws to encourage the use of machinery and equipment in the small-scale mining sector is also valid since it was through such a situation that one could make it impracticable for the use of child labour and eliminate all forms of women labour in unprotected mining pits.
It is obvious that the galamsey phenomenon cannot be eliminated but the work of artisanal miners could be monitored and controlled by state institutions.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Childhood mortality rates differ in rural, urban areas - Says 2008 GDHS
Story: Salome Donkor
The 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS) has established that childhood mortality rates in the country differ by residence. According to the survey, the under-five mortality rate for the 10-year period before the survey in urban areas is 75 per 1,000 live births compared to 90 per 1,000 live births in rural areas.
The report however indicated that childhood mortality is decreasing in Ghana. Currently, 50 children per 1,000 live births die before their first birthday. It gave the breakdown as 30 per 1,000 live births, before the age of one month and 21 per 1,000 between one and 12 months.
These figures, according to the survey, showed dramatic decreases over the 20-year period since the 1988 GDHS. The report indicated that under five mortality rate in the country per 1,000 live births was 155 in 1988, which decreased to 119 in 1993, then decreased further to 108 in 1998 and increased to 111 in 2003.
In respect of infant mortality rates, the figures for the country per 1,000 live births during the same period were, 77 in 1988, 66 in 1993, 57 in 1998, 64 in 2003 and 50 in 2008.
Various reasons are attributed to the decrease in infant and under five mortality rates. According to the survey, spacing children, at least 24 months apart, reduces risk of infant death, indicating that, in Ghana, the median birth interval is 40 months. However, about 1 in 7 (14 per cent) infants in Ghana, are born less than two years after a previous birth.
Infants born less than two years after a previous birth have particularly high infant mortality rates (131 deaths per 1,000 live births) compared with 58 for infants born four years after the previous birth).
The GDHS also said almost all Ghanaian women (95 per cent) receive some antenatal care from skilled provider, most commonly from a nurse or midwife (63 per cent) and a doctor (24 per cent), adding that more than three-quarters of women had the recommended four or more antenatal visits, and 55 per cent of women had an antenatal care visit by their fourth month of pregnancy, as recommended.
Accessing antenatal and postnatal care enabled more women to take iron tablets or syrup and intestinal parasite drugs during their last pregnancy before the survey. Women who received antenatal care during their most recent births were informed of the signs of the complications of pregnancy, and were also protected against neonatal tetanus.
The survey indicated that over the past two decades, vaccination coverage had increased from 47 per cent in 1988 to 79 per cent in 2008. It said 79 per cent of Ghanaian children, aged 12 - 23 months, received all recommended vaccines (one dose of BCG and measles and three doses each of DPT and polio) at any time prior to the survey.
The report said during the two weeks before the survey, 1 in 5 Ghanaian children under five had diarrhoea, adding that the rate was highest (33 per cent) among children aged 12 - 23 months, and advised mothers to give children who had diarrhoea more fluids, particularly oral rehydration salts (ORS) since the survey established that the majority of mothers (90 per cent) know about ORS packets.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that children receive nothing but breast milk (exclusive breastfeeding) for the first six months of life. Infants should not be given juices, other milks or complementary foods until six months of age, yet 17 per cent of Ghanaian infants under six months receive complementary foods.
To reduce the risk of malnutrition, the survey recommends that complementary foods should be introduced when a child is six months old, in addition to breastfeeding.
The Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices recommend that children aged between 6 and 8 months should be fed from three or more food groups at least twice a day in addition to breastfeeding, and for children aged between 9 to 23, at least three times a day.
The GDHS, which also included haemoglobin testing for women aged 15 to 49 and children 6-59 months, established that more than three-quarters of children (78 per cent) have some form of anaemia.
It said anaemia among children was higher in rural areas than in urban areas, and decreased as mother’s education and wealth increase, adding that almost 9 in 10 children in the Upper East and Upper West regions are anaemic.
The 2008 GDHS was designed to provide data for monitoring the population and health situation in the country and has brought to the fore information that can guide policy formulation, implementation and evaluation.
The objective of the survey was to provide up-to-date information on fertility, family planning, childhood mortality, nutrition, maternal and child health, domestic violence and related knowledge and behaviour on HIV and AIDS.
The 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS) has established that childhood mortality rates in the country differ by residence. According to the survey, the under-five mortality rate for the 10-year period before the survey in urban areas is 75 per 1,000 live births compared to 90 per 1,000 live births in rural areas.
The report however indicated that childhood mortality is decreasing in Ghana. Currently, 50 children per 1,000 live births die before their first birthday. It gave the breakdown as 30 per 1,000 live births, before the age of one month and 21 per 1,000 between one and 12 months.
These figures, according to the survey, showed dramatic decreases over the 20-year period since the 1988 GDHS. The report indicated that under five mortality rate in the country per 1,000 live births was 155 in 1988, which decreased to 119 in 1993, then decreased further to 108 in 1998 and increased to 111 in 2003.
In respect of infant mortality rates, the figures for the country per 1,000 live births during the same period were, 77 in 1988, 66 in 1993, 57 in 1998, 64 in 2003 and 50 in 2008.
Various reasons are attributed to the decrease in infant and under five mortality rates. According to the survey, spacing children, at least 24 months apart, reduces risk of infant death, indicating that, in Ghana, the median birth interval is 40 months. However, about 1 in 7 (14 per cent) infants in Ghana, are born less than two years after a previous birth.
Infants born less than two years after a previous birth have particularly high infant mortality rates (131 deaths per 1,000 live births) compared with 58 for infants born four years after the previous birth).
The GDHS also said almost all Ghanaian women (95 per cent) receive some antenatal care from skilled provider, most commonly from a nurse or midwife (63 per cent) and a doctor (24 per cent), adding that more than three-quarters of women had the recommended four or more antenatal visits, and 55 per cent of women had an antenatal care visit by their fourth month of pregnancy, as recommended.
Accessing antenatal and postnatal care enabled more women to take iron tablets or syrup and intestinal parasite drugs during their last pregnancy before the survey. Women who received antenatal care during their most recent births were informed of the signs of the complications of pregnancy, and were also protected against neonatal tetanus.
The survey indicated that over the past two decades, vaccination coverage had increased from 47 per cent in 1988 to 79 per cent in 2008. It said 79 per cent of Ghanaian children, aged 12 - 23 months, received all recommended vaccines (one dose of BCG and measles and three doses each of DPT and polio) at any time prior to the survey.
The report said during the two weeks before the survey, 1 in 5 Ghanaian children under five had diarrhoea, adding that the rate was highest (33 per cent) among children aged 12 - 23 months, and advised mothers to give children who had diarrhoea more fluids, particularly oral rehydration salts (ORS) since the survey established that the majority of mothers (90 per cent) know about ORS packets.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that children receive nothing but breast milk (exclusive breastfeeding) for the first six months of life. Infants should not be given juices, other milks or complementary foods until six months of age, yet 17 per cent of Ghanaian infants under six months receive complementary foods.
To reduce the risk of malnutrition, the survey recommends that complementary foods should be introduced when a child is six months old, in addition to breastfeeding.
The Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices recommend that children aged between 6 and 8 months should be fed from three or more food groups at least twice a day in addition to breastfeeding, and for children aged between 9 to 23, at least three times a day.
The GDHS, which also included haemoglobin testing for women aged 15 to 49 and children 6-59 months, established that more than three-quarters of children (78 per cent) have some form of anaemia.
It said anaemia among children was higher in rural areas than in urban areas, and decreased as mother’s education and wealth increase, adding that almost 9 in 10 children in the Upper East and Upper West regions are anaemic.
The 2008 GDHS was designed to provide data for monitoring the population and health situation in the country and has brought to the fore information that can guide policy formulation, implementation and evaluation.
The objective of the survey was to provide up-to-date information on fertility, family planning, childhood mortality, nutrition, maternal and child health, domestic violence and related knowledge and behaviour on HIV and AIDS.
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