Massawa — A seminar has been conducted in the port city of Massawa with a view to raising community awareness as regards the demerits of childhood marriage.

Mr. Birhane Alemseged from the Health Ministry's branch office in the region gave extensive briefings on the negative impacts of childhood marriage and its labor-bound worse consequence. Moreover, the participants of the seminar conducted in-depth discussion on the issue vis-à-vis its undesirable impact on a country's socio-economic development, besides the ways and means the desired behavioral change could be nurtured in the society through joint venture.

Among the participants, Mr. Mohammed-Adem Mohammed-Shifa and Semira Tesfalidet called on the inhabitants of the region to raise awareness as regards the matter, and extend a helping hand in doing away with it.

Dr. Yohannes Tekeste from the Health Ministry's branch office disclosed that it has been reinforcing community sensitization endeavors with a view to putting an end to harmful customary practices in collaboration with stakeholders. He further called on pertinent bodies to enhance joint effort to this end.