Winneba, Aug. 27, GNA - The Federation of International Women Lawyers (FIDA) and the African Youth Alliance (AYA) have been commended for their high sense of initiative and collaborative efforts at helping the government solve some of the serious problems confronting the adolescents age group in the country.

The two organizations have jointly launched social programme aimed at training more than 300 para-legal personnel nationwide to carry out legal related activities in all the districts.

The main function of the paralegals personnel, who are being trained, by the two bodies will be to enlighten the people in the rural areas, particularly the adolescents on their reproductive responsibilities, children and women rights, HIV/AIDS, intestate succession law and domestic violence, among others. Opening one of such workshops at the National Sports College at Winneba on Monday, Captain Steve Kwamena Armah (Rtd), District Chief Executive for Awutu-Efutu-Senya, praised leaders of the two bodies for their deep sense of initiative, commitment and collaborative effort, which has resulted in the launching of the training of the paralegals. Capt. Armah said the training of the Paralegals would only not help resolve some of the major issues, bedevilling the adolescent and society, but also assist in addressing basic legally related matters bothering rural dwellers.

He pledged his administration's full support and co-operation to FIDA and AYA as well as other NGOs, which shared the same sentiments to ensure that the rule of law and good governance permeates the country's administration.

Capt. Armah disclosed that 35 per cent of total AIDS cases recorded by the Ministry of Health between 1986 and 1998, involved people aged between 10 and 29 years, adding that some of these risks could be reduced if adolescents are equipped to recognize and deal with them. The DCE was happy that FIDA and AYA have focused their attention on these issues and were accordingly training the paralegals, whose major function will include intensive AIDS awareness programme to reduce the spread of the disease.

He said statistics show that sexual activity among adolescent females occurs earlier than males, adding that two out of three 19-year old adolescents in Ghana have experienced sexual intercourse while 14 per cent of them have already began child bearing. He attributed this to poverty, lack of ineffective parental control, divorce, lack of knowledge of reproduction, peer pressure and bad moral behaviour due to modernization.

Mrs Jane Quaye, Executive Director of FIDA, Ghana, announced that the two organizations have plans to organize the workshop for three administrative districts in Ashanti Region.

Resource persons for the three-day course included, Ms. Margaret Insaidoo, Vice President, FIDA Ghana, Nana Oye Lithur, Project Co-ordinator, Secretary FIDA, Ms Doris Aglobitse, Programme Technical Officer of AYA, and Mr Edward Asuonboteng-Manu of the University of Ghana.