The Adansi Asokwa Directorate of the National Commission for Civic Engagement (NCCE) has moved its campaign against gender-based violence onto the football pitch, using a community match to carry messages on adolescent health rights, Ghana News Agency reports.
The fixture, played in Adansi Asokwa in the Ashanti Region and reported on Saturday, 31 October 2026, pitted Adansi Asokwa FC against CAF Boys. It formed part of an initiative titled "Empowering Communities and Youth for the Promotion of Adolescents Reproductive Health, Gender Equality and Prevention of Gender-Based Violence through Civic Engagement."
Global Affairs Canada is funding the initiative, which the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is implementing under its Adolescent Girls' Programme, according to Ghana News Agency.
The event drew young people, parents and traditional leaders, who used the sporting occasion to discuss abuse prevention, gender equality and responsible health decisions.
Why it matters
Adolescent sexual and reproductive health sits at the centre of young people's passage into adulthood, shaping their overall health, well-being and personal development, the Adansi Asokwa District Director of the NCCE, Mrs. Jacqueline Mahu, said at the event.
Her point, as reported by Ghana News Agency, is that adolescent health is a shared responsibility rather than a matter for schools or health workers alone. She asked young people to turn away from beliefs that treat violence, aggression and controlling behaviour as evidence of strength — a framing that speaks directly to the attitudes the campaign is trying to change.
The choice of football as a vehicle is notable. Matches draw crowds that formal sensitisation sessions often struggle to assemble, and they bring together groups — youth, parents, chiefs — whose cooperation the campaign depends on. Mrs. Mahu urged both young people and parents to carry the messages into their homes, schools and communities.
Teams asked to champion girls' rights
Mrs. Mahu called on the two sides to act as advocates for the rights and protection of women and young girls, according to Ghana News Agency.
Madam Mavis Nyarko, who represented the Adansi Asokwa Health Directorate, advised residents to make healthy choices, to seek accurate and reliable information, and to consult trusted adults or health professionals when they have concerns about their health and well-being.
The match itself was competitive. Adansi Asokwa FC won 1-0, scoring from a penalty kick after the opposing goalkeeper conceded the spot kick. CAF Boys pressed but could not equalise, and Adansi Asokwa FC held its lead until the final whistle.
Nana Ameyaw Addo, the Adansi Asokwa Kontihene, handed the trophy and medals to the winning team.
The campaign's progress in the district, and whether similar sporting events follow, will be the thing to watch.
