The facilities, selected from five regions from across the country, had their personnel trained to provide better services to young women and adolescent girls.

The training, done in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service, forms part of Oxfam Ghana’s ‘Power to Chose’ project, which seeks to address barriers that hinder young women and adolescent girls’ access to quality Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR).

The seven-year Global Affairs Canada funded project would also advocate the protection against gender-based violence.

Madam Fauziatu Abdul-Rahman, the Project Coordinator, Oxfam Ghana, said it was expected to increase enjoyment of health-related human rights for young women and adolescent girls who lived in vulnerable conditions.

“With this project, we seek to increase access to information and services on SRHR for young people between the ages of 10-24 years of age,” she said.

The project would organise Reproductive Health Education sessions in the Northern, Middle and Southern Zones of the country.

Through Oxfam’s local level partners, it would be implemented in Greater Accra, Central, Bono East, Northern and North East regions and eight Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies.

These are Ashaiman, Cape Coast, Kasoa, Techiman, Savelugu, Sagnarigu, and East Mamprusi municipal assemblies, as well as the Sene East District Assembly, in schools and communities.

Madam Abdul-Rahman said adolescence came with psychological, social, and expressive changes that created unique needs for sexual and reproductive health education and services, which needed to be well managed.

The Power to Choose project would ensure the provision of youth-friendly health facilities with unique features to accommodate young people to properly address their health concerns.

It is also expected to build their confidence to access sexual and reproductive health services both in schools and communities, rather than relying on peer advice.

Madam Adbul-Rahman said at the end of the project, Oxfam Ghana expected to see a reduction in teenage pregnancies, safe reproductive health practices, and empowered young people who made informed decisions about their sexual health.

The World Health Organisation defines Adolescent and Youth friendly health facility and services as one that is accessible, acceptable, equitable, appropriate and effective in ensuring young people receives quality healthcare, particularly in areas like sexual and reproductive health with a focus on confidentiality and non-judgmental care.

Services provided include general health education, nutrition services, adolescent developmental problems, sexual and reproductive health service, and pre-conception care.