Wa, June 11, GNA - The National Commission for Civic Education has embarked on an educational campaign in the Upper West Region to discourage the abuse of women's rights in the communities. The Commission is particularly campaigning against cruel poverty rites, bad widowhood rites, Female Genital Mutilation, food taboos, the dowry system and elopement.

Mr. Adam Alhassan, Deputy Regional Director told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Wa at the weekend that the campaign had been necessitated by the rampant elopement of girls, continuous withdrawal of school girls for early marriage and a high dowry system which was discouraging many young men from getting married. He said although the Commission was making an impact in some of the areas, it did not have adequate funds to enable it to reach out to more communities.

He appealed to the government to increase the budgetary allocation for the Commission to intensify their campaign. He appealed to the Department of Social Welfare and the Ghana Police Service to collaborate effectively with them to be able to bring to book all those who abuse the rights of women and girls in the country. 11 June 06