A stud conducted by the Upper West Regional Youth Parliament with funding support from Plan International Ghana has found that 83 per cent of adolescent girls in Wa East trade sex for money to buy sanitary towels during their period.

The study was titled: ‘Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health in the Wa East District of the Upper West Region: A synthesis of Research Evidence’.

At a conference in Wa, the regional capital, the Speaker of the Upper West Regional Youth Parliament, Mr James Baba Anabiga, told journalists the study was inspired by data which shows that early and unprotected sexual practices by adolescents girls have become commonplace among the girls, thus, exposing them to unplanned teenage pregnancies, unsafe abortion, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) as well as HIV/AIDS.

Some also drop out of school as a result of the consequences.

The research found that while 97% of parents are aware of their responsibilities to adolescents, some 57% of them do not provide the basic needs of the girls.

Eighty-three per cent of the respondents said adolescent girls engage in sexual relationships to get money for sanitary pads.

Other major causes include poverty (40%), ignorance (29%) and irresponsible parenting (17%) are “the major” issues “affecting adolescent sexual reproductive health in the Wa East District”.