According to the Director of Child Welfare Society, Moses Mambu said the society has realized that the challenges faced by girls are still increasing. Moses further explained that on a daily basis, the girl child is confronted with threats such as domestic abuse, child labour and the prevalence of teenage pregnancy.
Mambu said the Summit happened to be an established platform for girls and policy makers to dialogue on issues affecting them and proffering amicable solutions to adequately addressing their numerous challenges.
Therefore, he called on International Non Governmental organizations to collaborate with ‘Her Story’ campaign which assembled over one hundred women and adolescent girls in the western area to discuss their personal stories and experiences and also the changes that have occurred around them.
Head of Teenage Pregnancy Secretariat, Haja Rugiatu Kanu while addressing the girls described teenage pregnancy as a societal menace that needs the attention of all and sundry. She made a general plea for the minimization or the eradication of teenage pregnancy as according to her about 40% of teenagers met their untimely demise during child birth as a result of complication.
She encouraged the girls to be patient and wait for the appropriate time to have sex as they should not engage in it while in school.
Representative of the National Sowei Council, Alieu Mustapha Koroma said it was then that the initiation of the girls into the Bondo society were serving as a factor of teenage pregnancy and early marriage as now things have changed, owing to the fact that they only initiate the girls when they actually reach age of consent (18).
An activist- Marie tailor stated that the issues of rape, teenage pregnancy and early marriage is alarming in the western rural district, she cautioned the parent to be their girl child best friend and also monitor their activities usually.
However, the girls that were present at the summit stated that the summit was an eye opener for them and they are calling on the government and nongovernmental organization to make sure that the factors that responsible for the backwardness and degradation of girls’ being address immediately.
