On 11 October 2026, the Bamiri Community Centre in Techiman, Bono East Region, hosted a large gathering to mark the International Day of the Girl Child. Hundreds of schoolgirls, community leaders and key stakeholders assembled under the theme “End Child Marriage and Invest in Girls’ Rights.”
The event was organised by Techiman Municipal Girl Child Coordinator Mrs Ellen White Opoku, a 2024 Joy Impact Makers Awardee, in partnership with the Ghana Education Service, ActionAid Ghana and other partners. Mrs Opoku said the theme reflected the urgent need for collective action against child marriage in the area.
Her Worship Sandra Xorlali Lavison, Presiding Judge of the Techiman Circuit Court, delivered a powerful legal address, reminding attendees that child marriage is a criminal offence under Sections 14 and 15 of the Children’s Act. “Section 14 of the Children’s Act specifically speaks against child marriage,” she said. “Section 15 of the Act speaks about the criminality of giving a child out for marriage, which could end one in prison or a fine.”
Traditional leaders also spoke out. Hansuahemaa and Baamuhemaa Nana Ama Asantewaa Munufie II questioned how parents could give 12‑, 13‑ and 14‑year‑old girls into marriage, calling the practice irresponsible parenting. The Member of Parliament for Techiman South, Martin Adjei Mensah Korsah, urged the girls to focus on education and warned that marriage would harm their futures. He also called for tougher punishments for parents who arrange child marriages.
Kwame Afram Denkyira, Regional Programs Manager for ActionAid Ghana, appealed for stronger measures to end child marriage and school‑related abuses. The event aimed not only to raise awareness but also to empower the girls, who left the centre with knowledge of their rights and the laws that protect them.
As the fight against child marriage continues, Techiman sends a clear message: the girl child belongs in the classroom, not in a marital home. Mrs Opoku’s leadership and partnership with GES, ActionAid and other stakeholders keep the community on a path toward safeguarding girls’ futures.
