UNICEF and CSOs Unite to Protect Ghanaian Girls from Cervical Cancer

UNICEF is partnering with six Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to step up community engagement and boost uptake of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine across Ghana, with a special focus on out-of-school girls aged 9–14.
The collaboration involving Theatre for Social Change (TfSC), Curious Minds Ghana, DAWAH Academy, Muslim Women in Teaching (MUSWIT), The Light Foundation, and Meta Foundation, is part of nationwide efforts to prevent cervical cancer, one of the leading causes of death among women.
At the annual National Conference of Muslim Women in Teaching in Kumasi, UNICEF Social and Behaviour Change Specialist Charity Nikoi highlighted the role of CSOs in the HPV rollout and shared strategies to reach more girls.
These include working with religious and community leaders, taking vaccine information directly to homes, training locals to spread accurate messages, and using peer networks to remind eligible girls to get vaccinated.
Madam Nikoi urged members of MUSWIT to champion the HPV vaccine in public gatherings, build trust by encouraging families to choose facts over fear, support school-based vaccination, and help reach girls outside the school system.
She also encouraged them to fight misinformation by working with the media, health experts, and volunteers.
The HPV vaccine protects against the virus responsible for most cervical cancer cases.
The goal for the rollout is to ensure every eligible girl in Ghana gets the protection she needs, regardless of whether she is in school or not.