Gender Ministry engages religious and traditional leaders on child protection in Kumasi
The Ashanti Regional Department of Children, a subsidiary of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection has organized a two-day workshop to engage religious and traditional leaders on child protection in the region.
The two-day workshop to which was held at Santasi in the Kumasi Metropolis begun on Wednesday August 24, 2022, brought together Christian and Islamic leaders to deliberate on ways to utilize religious platforms to change peoples’ reluctance towards protecting children against various abuses.
The programme aimed at soliciting support from religious and traditional leaders to their fellows to harness the relevance of child protection laws and rights in the country.
The Director of Department of Children in the region, Stephen Ofosu called on parents and other stakeholders to prioritize the need of children.
Speaking to OTEC News Kwame Agyenim Boateng after the program, Mr Ofosu said it was imperative for parents and guardians to reconsider their poor actions in response to the needs of young children with renewed commitment.
“Taking good care of children, given them their basic needs should be prioritized by stakeholders to ensure that the children are well trained to fit into society “. He said.
“Children who get the needed protection, attention and support in their upbringing would be assertive in life and become more responsible when they mature”, he noted.
He disclosed that the Government through the Ministry of Genda and Social Protection is working tirelessly to ensure the well-being of its youngest citizens had over the years prioritised their issues as a national developmental agenda through the establishment of relevant institutions.
For her part a representative for UNICEF in charge of Child Protection , Ms Joyce Odame expressed worry over continuous abuse of children in the country.
She noted a research by UNICEF indicated that 94 percent of children in Ghana experience some form of violent discipline.
Ms. Joyce Odame mentioned physical attacks, rape, child marriage, and psychological abuse among others as some of the violent discipline children go through in Ghana and called for conscious efforts to curb the menace.
She assured that, UNICEF was committed to helping the country curb the problem of child marriage, pointing out that with support from identifiable bodies such as religious, the issue could be resolved.
She commended the Department of Children for organizing various workshops on child protection in the region.
Source: Ghana/otecfmghana.com/Jacob Agyenim Boateng, Kumasi
