As part of project activities, CIWED organized quarterly review meetings for Ge-net group leaders. The Gender Network Groups (Ge-net) is a group of identified community leaders from various sectors of the community who lead advocacy on gender equality and gender transformation. The review meeting was to identify and discuss in details some gender and human right issues bordering their communities. The meeting was also to create a platform for action in tackling the identified human right issues.
The Ge-Net leaders in Zoggu reported that one key gender issue was youth out-migration from the community. They further reported that the issue is serious because it is predominant among young girls of school going age. A teacher among the leadership reported that, after the directive by the government for all schools to resume (after COVID-19 close down), about 50% of the females in his school did not return. He further explained that some got married off and some migrated to Accra and Kumasi to do petty jobs (popularly called Kayaaye). Similar issues were reported from Ge-net leadership from Nantong communities. It was found that child marriage and youth out-migration were the common issues in most communities.
As follow up actions, the leadership of the Ge-Net committed to discussing the issue with the entire community stakeholders for collective action. On her part, the Gender Coordinator for CIWED, Madam Basiru Mardiya pledged commitment to the course of the Ge-Net and promised for capacity support to the networks.