The Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG), a non-governmental organization (NGO), has built the capacities of journalists on effective and objective reporting mechanisms to help curb incidences of unsafe abortion in society.

The two-day capacity development workshop, organized by the PPAG, in Tamale, brought together selected journalists from Northern and Upper West regions and was in line with the NGO’s planned efforts to help reduce unsafe abortions among the youth.

It was to sensitize participants on Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) components and ways they could contribute to fighting unsafe abortions, and ensure women, especially girls have access to comprehensive abortion care.

Participants were taken through the concept of SRHR, effective reporting, good journalism practices, and Ghana’s abortion laws among other topics.

Mr Kingsley Obeng-Kyereh, Chief Controller of Programmes at the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), who facilitated the engagement, said giving attention to sexual and reproductive health issues contributed to improved society where there would be less cases of unsafe abortions, reduced maternal mortality, teenage pregnancies and child marriages.

He implored participants to use their medium to accurately broadcast issues of SRHR to inform policy reforms that would help to improve on the lives of citizens.

“As journalists, we are the main source of information for a lot of people and a lie or a twisted truth is detrimental to society and so, we need to factually and accurately report on these issues to help improve on the lives of the people”, he said.

“We must provide ready information on where to access SRHR services and ensure that gains made in preventing teenage pregnancy, sexual and gender-based violence are consolidated, for the good of our people”, he added.

Mr Archibald Adams, Advocacy Co-ordinator at the PPAG, encouraged participants to use their various media platforms to educate the public on the dangers associated with unsafe abortions and why they should desist from the act.

He called on women to go for safe and quality abortion services when needed and should be done at legally mandated health facilities, to help reduce maternal mortality in the country.

Some of the participants pledged their commitment to use their platforms to strengthen the campaign against unsafe abortions among the youth in the country.