NGO advocates repeal of criminal code on abortion
Mr Victor Fosu Boamah, Operations Director of Global Media Foundation (GLOMEF) an anti-corruption and media advocacy, a non-governmental organisation at the weekend advocated repeal of the criminal code on abortion services in healthcare delivery.
According to him, the 1992 constitution upheld the rights of abortion, but the criminal code prohibited it, which denies and obstruct women and adolescent girls from accessing safe abortion services.
Mr Boamah made the call when he addressed assembly members, traditional rulers and other opinion leaders at a training programme on sexual reproductive healthcare in Sunyani, organised by GLOMEF with support from the Safe Action Abortion Fund.
He observed that because of the criminal code, many specialised health practitioners are always reluctant to offer safe abortion services, to especially teenagers.
Mr Boamah said studies have shown that pregnant girls who have no option apply herbs and other concoctions to terminate their pregnancies, which result into health complication and sometimes deaths.
He explained the need for women’s rights and reproductive health in legal education because “reproductive health is fundamental to the realisation to the right to life, as it protects the dignity of human life”.
Mr Boamah noted statistics from the Brong-Ahafo Regional Health Directorate showed that teenage pregnancy among girls from 15 and 19 years jumped from 6,214 in 2013, to 11,054 in 2014.
According to the statistics, 525 girls from 10 -14 years also got pregnant in the region in 2014 as against 186 girls in 2013.
He noted that shared responsibility between men and women in matters related to reproductive and sexual behaviour is essential to improve health of women and adolescent girls.
Mr Boamah observed that male participation in family planning has so far been perceived in the narrow sense of men’s preparedness to undergo sterilisation, or their use of different methods of contraception.
Mr Matthew Osei Gyasi, a Pharmacist at the Regional Hospital, observed that teenage pregnancy and unsafe abortion is rife in the region, and expressed the need to create an avenue where pregnant girls could easily access safe abortion services.
He said various family planning methods ought to be promoted in schools so that girls and boys who could not control their sexual desires could opt for them.
Source: GNA