MY BODY, MY RIGHTS ̶ Zonta International President’s Site Visit Report
Introduction
The Global Programme to End Child Marriage is a flagship joint initiative of UNFPA and UNICEF, launched in 2016 with the goal of eliminating child marriage by 2030. It is implemented in 12 high-prevalence countries, including Ghana, through close collaboration with governments, civil society and local communities. Child marriage is both a profound human rights violation and a significant barrier to sustainable development. It deprives girls of education, exposes them to early pregnancy and violence, and limits their economic opportunities and autonomy. Addressing it requires a comprehensive approach; empowering girls, transforming social norms, strengthening systems and ensuring effective laws and policies are in place.
Zonta International has been a proud partner of this programme since 2018, contributing to advancing gender equality, protecting girls’ rights and supporting community-level change aligned with our mission to build a better world for women and girls. Zonta had already supported ending child marriage since 2014, contributing US$2 million to delay early marriage in Niger from 2014-2018. In 2018-2022, Zonta contributed US$3.5 million to the UNFPA-UNICEF Global Programme to End Child Marriage – the first private-sector donor to the Global Programme. In 2022-2024, Zonta contributed US$1.2 million to support Phase II of the project.
2024 marked the beginning of Phase III for the Global Programme and over this biennium 2024-2026, Zonta International has committed US$1.5 million to support the project. Zonta International’s continued support of the Global Programme focuses on strengthening government capacity and ownership of the work and generating important evidence and data to sustain the program long term. These positive changes hold the potential to transform the lives of millions of girls and families all around the world, helping girls enjoy their childhoods and reach a brighter future.
I had an opportunity to pay a site visit with Global Programme to End Child Marriage in Ghana, Greater Accra Region, in connection with District 18 District Conference.
Ghana: Country Context and Child Marriage Situation
With a population of approximately 35 million people [1], Ghana is one of the region’s leading economies and a hub for education, trade and cultural exchange. Ghana is rich in diversity, with multiple ethnic groups, languages and traditions, and it has made notable progress in areas such as girls’ education, poverty reduction and legal reforms to protect women and children. At the same time, challenges remain. Socio-economic inequalities, particularly between urban and rural areas, continue to affect access to education and services. Issues such as child protection, gender-based violence, adolescent pregnancy and child marriage persist, especially among the most vulnerable communities. Zonta International is present in Ghana through local Zonta clubs, particularly in Accra, where dedicated members work to advance gender equality, support education for girls, and advocate for the elimination of harmful practices such as child marriage and gender-based violence. These clubs play an important role in connecting global advocacy with local action and community engagement.
Ghana has made important progress in reducing child marriage, with prevalence declining from approximately 40% in the 1980s to 16.3% in 2022 [2]. However, one in six girls is still married or in union before the age of 18, highlighting the persistence of the practice. Regional Child Marriage Data [3] shows that overall in Western Africa, the prevalence was 41 % in 2000 and 32 % in 2025.
The issue is deeply linked to structural inequalities:
- Higher prevalence in rural areas (26.6%) compared to urban areas (12.5%).
- Strong correlation with poverty and limited education, with 86% of married girls having no or only primary education.
- Regional disparities, though lower rates (8%) are observed in the Greater Accra Region i.e. the capital city area.
Child marriage in Ghana is driven by poverty, harmful social norms, gender inequality and limited access to education and sexual and reproductive health services. It is closely intertwined with adolescent pregnancy with 15.2% of girls aged 15–19 already pregnant or mothers, and in many cases pregnancy precedes marriage.
While Ghana has established a strong legal and policy framework, including the National Strategic Framework on Ending Child Marriage, challenges remain in implementation, enforcement and accessibility of services, especially for the most vulnerable girls.
Programme Approach in Ghana
The Global Programme in Ghana takes a holistic and integrated approach:
- Empowering adolescent girls through safe spaces, education support, and livelihood opportunities,
- Changing social norms via community engagement and dialogue with families, leaders and boys and men,
- Strengthening service delivery systems including child protection, health and justice services,
- Supporting laws and policies and national coordination frameworks, and
- Generating evidence and data to inform action.
These interventions have already reached millions of people, including over 4 million through community engagement toolkits and more than 27,000 vulnerable girls through safe space initiatives.
Field Visit Observations
During my visit to the Independence Avenue Basic School in Accra, I had the opportunity to witness firsthand how the programme translates into meaningful community-level impact.
One of the most striking elements of the visit was observing the use of the Child Protection Community Facilitation Toolkits in a school setting for the elementary school pupils. These interactive tools such as flash cards and guided discussions create a safe and inclusive environment for adolescents to openly discuss sensitive issues, including:
- Child marriage
- Gender-based violence
- Teenage pregnancy.
It was particularly encouraging to see girls and boys learning together in an open and respectful environment, reinforcing the importance of equality and shared understanding from an early age. What made the session particularly powerful was its energy and inclusiveness. The pupils, both girls and boys, were fully engaged throughout, responding eagerly to questions and participating in multiple ways. The learning environment was dynamic and joyful: messages were reinforced through songs, rhythmic clapping and interactive call-and-response exercises.
I was particularly struck by how naturally the students internalised messages of equality and rights. The slogan “My body, my rights” resonated strongly, woven naturally into the activities and clearly understood by the students. It was striking to see how confidently the pupils embraced the message and made it their own.
Rather than a traditional lesson, the session felt like a shared experience of learning and reflection. It fostered confidence, encouraged dialogue and enabled peer-to-peer exchange. The approach not only builds awareness but also strengthens young people’s ability to challenge harmful norms and take ownership of their rights and futures.
Another particularly meaningful part of the visit was meeting with adolescent girls, including those involved in back-to-school initiatives which highlighted the transformative power of education and targeted support. Many of these girls are overcoming significant barriers poverty, early motherhood, and strong social expectations, to return to learning environments.
The stories these adolescent girls and young women shared were deeply moving and made me reflect on how different their lives might be without the intervention of the programme and its local partners, including PAYDP, which specifically supports marginalized adolescent girls and adolescent mothers. This part of the programme clearly demonstrates how tailored interventions can restore hope and opportunity, ensuring that no girl is left behind.
What stood out most was the remarkable courage and ambition of the girls despite the challenges they have faced. Equally powerful was the importance of being listened to; having a safe space where their voices matter. There was a strong sense of hope and determination in everything they shared; each girl spoke about her future with clarity and aspiration; some dreaming of becoming doctors, others lawyers or nurses. Their confidence and vision for their lives were both inspiring and a powerful reminder of what becomes possible when girls are supported to stay in school and pursue their dreams.
Reflections
What I witnessed in Ghana reaffirmed that ending child marriage is not only possible, but already underway through dedicated partnerships, community engagement and the resilience of girls themselves. At the same time, the visit also served as a reminder that progress is uneven and fragile, and that deeply rooted social norms, poverty and structural inequalities continue to pose significant barriers. Sustained investment, continued advocacy and scaling up proven approaches are essential if we are to reach the most marginalized populations and ensure that progress is not reversed.
Education and awareness raising on ending child marriages and its implications for entire societies is not just a right, it is a lifeline. It opens doors, restores dignity and gives girls the possibility to shape their own futures. However, access to education alone is not sufficient unless it is accompanied by safe environments, supportive communities, and real economic opportunities for girls and their families.
The visit also underscored the importance of collaboration across sectors. Government, judiciary, education and civil society must not only be actively engaged but also adequately resourced and held accountable to deliver coordinated and effective responses. Without strong implementation and follow-through, even the most comprehensive policies risk remaining aspirations rather than realities. Such partnerships are critical for creating sustainable change and ensuring that interventions are both culturally relevant and systemically embedded.
As Zonta International, we are proud to contribute to this work, with a strong focus on ending gender-based violence — including child marriage — and advancing education equality for girls and women. Our partnership with UNFPA and UNICEF reflects our shared commitment to creating a world where every girl can live free from violence and reach her full potential. At the same time, we recognise that lasting change requires patience, persistence and the courage to address difficult societal issues.
Witnessing the impact of these programmes on the ground strengthens our resolve to continue this important work, to advocate, to invest and to stand alongside the girls and communities until lasting and measurable change is achieved.
The adolescent girls I met in Ghana are not only beneficiaries of change, they are its leaders. It is our responsibility to ensure they are given every opportunity to succeed.
With appreciation,
Salla Tuominen
President 2024-2026
Zonta International and Zonta Foundation for Women
[1] Worldometer 2026.
[2] Still the latest available value in 2026.
[3] https://childmarriagedata.org/country-profiles/ghana/.