The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA-Ghana) has trained a second batch of paralegals from the Ashanti and North East Regions to strengthen adolescents’ access to justice, protection and support services.
The capacity-building training, organised with support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), focused on deepening participants’ knowledge of adolescents’ rights and improving their ability to support young people navigating justice and child protection systems.
The training brought together paralegals who will serve as important first points of contact for adolescents seeking help with legal, protection and referral services.
Participants were taken through practical sessions on the challenges adolescents face in accessing justice, including limited awareness of their rights, barriers to reporting abuse, limited access to legal representation, child protection concerns, gender-based violence, and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR).
The sessions also addressed how paralegals can support adolescents to access appropriate referral pathways and support services.
A key focus of the training was equipping participants with the skills to provide safe, child-friendly, confidential and appropriate support to adolescents.
FIDA-Ghana said the training emphasised the need for paralegals to listen to adolescents without judgement, protect their privacy, and guide them towards the right legal, health and protection services.
Participants were also equipped to identify cases requiring specialised intervention and to work with relevant institutions, including legal aid providers, social welfare officers, health services and child protection agencies.
Through the initiative, FIDA-Ghana is expanding a network of trained paralegals across the Ashanti and North East Regions who can support adolescents to understand and claim their rights.
The organisation said continued capacity-building would help ensure that adolescents, particularly those at risk of abuse, exploitation or gender-based violence, are able to speak up safely and receive timely assistance.
The training forms part of broader efforts to create a more responsive justice and protection system for young people in Ghana.
FIDA-Ghana reaffirmed its commitment to working with partners, including UNFPA, to strengthen access to justice for adolescents.
The organisation noted that trained paralegals play a critical role in bridging the gap between adolescents and formal justice and protection systems, especially in communities where awareness of rights and available services remains limited.
The second batch of trained paralegals is expected to support awareness creation, case identification, referrals and community-level advocacy on adolescents’ rights, child protection and access to justice.