“Include Issues Of Child Marriages And Related Medical Complications In MDG Post-2015 Agenda” – High Commissioner

Ghana's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, Victor Smith has appealed to world leaders to include the issue of child marriages and its related medical complications in the Millennium Development Goals post -2015 agenda.

Speaking at the movie premiere of the film “DRY”, which showcased underage marriages involving adolescent girls and some related medical complications such as Obstetric fistula, at the University of Aberystwyth in Wales the High Commissioner also appealed to leadership in all areas prone to these occurrences to recognise the need to focus more attention in the development of the girl child from age five through adolescence to teenage hood to avoid such “terrible infringement on children's rights.”

High Commissioner Smith commended the producer of the film, Stephanie Linus of Nollywood, Nigeria and the University of Aberystwyth for their efforts to promote awareness of these negative practices and their attendant consequences.

Sixty-five percent of the movie was shot in Africa and thirty-five percent was shot in Aberystwyth, Wales. The film is acclaimed as one of the most socially relevant African movie projects that has ever been made according to reviews.

The film's theme focuses on Vesico Vaginal Fistula condition and under-aged marriages among young women. Narrating the story of a thirteen year old girl, Halima, whose poor and uneducated parents married her off to Sani, a 60 year old man who constantly rapes her, Halima gets pregnant and suffers Vesico Vaginal fistula (VVF) after child delivery. She is consequently abandoned by her husband and discriminated against in society.

VVF, a health crises and medical condition is said to be affecting over 2.5 million women in over 20 African countries including Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, Kenya, Liberia etc.

In her address, the Senior Special Assistant to the President of Nigeria on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Dr. Precious Gbeneol, also praised the artist for coming out with such a master piece which would play a major role in educating the masses and breaking the myth surrounding the prevalence of the Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF) in Africa and especially Nigeria.

Professor April McMahon, the Vice Chancellor of Aberystwyth University indicated that the university is committed to the project because its core mandate is to support human development and empowerment. The Vice Chancellor also emphasized that the university which was established in 1972, is home to the first school of international politics in the world, winner of the award for outstanding contribution to innovation and technology and home to the largest and award winning Arts Centre in Wales.

In a side-line meeting with Professor April McMahon, the High Commissioner called on the University to consider partnering a University in Ghana to run some of their core areas of studies. The Vice Chancellor pointed out that, the University would be starting their first international program in Africa from Mauritius and given the strategic location of Ghana, another one could be established to serve the West African and Central African countries.

The High Commissioner was accompanied by Mr. Kofi Addo, Head of Trade and Investment of the Mission.

Source:
Ghana High Commission
London