In Atonsu, Kumasi, a 14-year-old orphan girl—brimming with dreams and untapped potential—has been coerced into a marriage she neither wanted nor agreed to. Acting against her wishes, her grandmother and other relatives secretly arranged the union, accepting payment from an older man in exchange for handing her over.
The girl first reached out in fear, desperate to flee the ordeal. The advocate she confided in quickly arranged for her to join a safe program under their care, where other young girls learn empowering skills like hairstyling and fashion design from a trusted professional mentor. Initially eager for this fresh start, she abruptly withdrew her consent. Respecting her apparent change of heart, the advocate stepped back—only to discover days later that the forced wedding had proceeded without her knowledge just last week.
Compounding the tragedy, the ceremony itself was an act of profound degradation. Devoid of any care or respect, the child was dressed in her late mother’s ill-fitting old garments, with rags crudely stuffed into the chest area to create a false appearance of maturity. This humiliating ritual erased the last remnants of her innocence, treating her not as a person, but as a commodity bartered for cash.
This young girl, who belongs in a classroom or honing a trade for her future, has instead been robbed of her rights, her childhood, and any hope for autonomy—thrust into a cycle of likely abuse and hardship.
Urgent Action Needed: I join this advocate’s impassioned plea to all child protection agencies, social welfare departments, and human rights organizations in Ghana—particularly the Department of Social Welfare, the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), UNICEF Ghana, and local NGOs like the Ghana NGO Coalition on Child Rights—to intervene immediately. Locate and rescue this girl before irreversible harm deepens. No child is property to be sold, and no sum of money can justify stealing her tomorrow.
Forced child marriages violate Ghana’s Children’s Act (Act 560), which explicitly prohibits betrothing or marrying off minors, and the Domestic Violence Act. Reports of similar cases in the region highlight a persistent crisis—let’s end it now. If you have leads or can assist, contact local authorities in Kumasi or CHRAJ’s hotline (0302-782074). Share this widely to amplify the call—every voice counts in saving her. #EndChildMarriage #ProtectGhanaianGirls