The Executive Director of the Henry Djaba Memorial Foundation, Otiko Afisah Djaba, has said poverty is the primary driving force behind child prostitution in some regions of Ghana.
She said during her time as Gender Minister, traditional leaders told her under-aged girls were forced into prostitution due to severe poverty in their communities.
Speaking on JoyNews’ AM show, Ms. Djaba revealed that, the children are now selling themselves so that they could feed their families due to poverty.
“No child should be a parent. Why should a ten-year-old be a breadwinner? The girls are becoming very rude because they were now looking after the parents. They go out and comes home very late, and the parent is not able to admonish the child because the child is now paying the rent and the electricity bill. It happens in the Central region because that is where there is a lot of poverty.
“If you look at Ghana, it is the upper east, upper west, northern region, and central region that are most deprived and we have the highest data of poverty in those areas. So, poverty plays a key role in prostitution” she stated.
The former Minister of Gender and Social Protection has emphasised the far-reaching impact of poverty on women and girls in Ghana, explaining that prostitution often becomes a “first resort” for those struggling to make ends meet.
According to her, poverty is the driving force behind prostitution for both adults and children, resulting in serious consequences.
“Because of the ills that come with them, you might get sexually transmitted diseases, or you might get an unwanted pregnancy. You might get raped. The violence that comes from prostitution is totally unacceptable, and we are all aware of all these things that happen, but an older person is more aware than a child who feels that she has no choice.
“Some parents even push the children into prostitution because they feel that is the only way to make ends meet, like pushing your child to go and sell doughnuts and dog chains, and what have you?” Ms. Djaba quizzed.
The former Gender Minister emphasised the need for personal responsibility and hard work in the face of poverty.
Mrs Djaba firmly rejected prostitution as an acceptable response to poverty, arguing that despite the hardships faced by women and girls in Ghana, they must strive to make productive choices and prioritise personal dignity over the lure of quick financial gain.
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