All we are saying is that our girls and children must be protected. Full stop! No child should fear abuse in a place meant to educate and nurture them. We demand justice for victims of abuse, accountability for wrongdoing, and safer schools for every child. #RedWednesday

We cannot keep telling our girls to speak up if we are not prepared to protect them when they do. Earlier this year, someone reached out to me about her younger sister, who had allegedly been defiled by a neighbour at 13 years old and got pregnant. The girl had been out of school since then, and her sister was asking if @FTFGhana could help her return to school. My team and I made the trip to assess the situation, and what we heard was even more disturbing. Her big sister told us that after the suspect was arrested, an assemblyman in their community intervened and secured his release from police custody. The man has since reportedly disappeared, and his whereabouts are unknown. Just imagine that. And I keep asking, how did this happen? On what grounds was he released? What happened to the investigation? And what steps were taken to ensure that this young girl received the protection and justice she deserved? Our police and other relevant authorities have an enormous responsibility to protect vulnerable children, especially when allegations of sexual abuse are reported. We need to be able to trust that these matters will be investigated thoroughly, that proper procedures will be followed, and that no one will be allowed to interfere with the administration of justice. A young girl’s childhood and education have been disrupted, and the person accused of abusing her is nowhere to be found. How do we expect our girls to feel safe in a society where the very people and institutions meant to protect them sometimes fail them? Because of the work I do, I have encountered so many heartbreaking situations involving vulnerable children and young girls. I could share stories upon stories. We need families, schools, communities, traditional leaders, the police and other institutions to take child protection seriously. We must stop protecting alleged perpetrators at the expense of vulnerable children. No girl should have her safety, dignity, education or future taken away from her because society failed to protect her. Please, let’s come together and protect our girls and children. I cannot scream this enough! 💔