In Ghana, an estimated thirty-four thousand girls are married annually before they attain the age of fifteen. This negative practice cuts across the ten regions. Highest among them is the Northern, Ashanti, Eastern, Western and the Volta regions. Currently Ghana is ranked among the top thirty countries in the world with female girls entering into early marriage without their consent due to poverty, religion, custom, lack of education and lack of vocational skills to empower them. This situation however puts the lives of these teenage girls at risk and exposes them to engage in Rural/urban migration, Teenage pregnancy, and unsafe abortion. They are also unable to cater for themselves as well as their children. The Netherlands government in collaboration with UNICEF and the Gender Ministry has therefore launched a campaign to help reduce the ascending rate of early marriage among girls below the age of 15 in the sub-region using Ghana as a case study.
A representative from UNICEF, Susan Naondo Ngongi promised to partner with the Gender Ministry by funding vocational training for girls interested in equipping themselves with the needed skills. The Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development, Madam Lilianne Ploumen gave the assurance of her country's support for Ghana. She said the Dutch government has signed a six million euro agreement with Ghana to support the ministry of Children, Gender and Social Protection in the fight against early marriage among girls below the age of 15. The Gender Minister, Nana Oye Lithur, expressed her ministry's readiness to partner with donor agencies to promote girl Child Education especially in the remote areas across the country. Earlier, the two ministers were taken round an exhibition mounted by some Female Porters who have been trained in Vocation skills such as Dress Making and Beads among others at Ablogbloshie in Accra.
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