The Child Protection Alliance (CPA) Ghana has faulted the government of Ghana for its inability to provide child and family welfare agencies with the needed resources that will enable them to work properly.
According to CPA, the Department of Social Welfare, Department of Children, Ghana Legal Aid, Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) who are responsible for child protection services have failed to undertake their duties effectively as a result of insufficient resources.
In a statement signed by the Interim Steering Committee Chairperson, Hussein Rahman, the CPA revealed that the support and care for children and families, who have undergone several forms of maltreatment, is very limited.
“Government’s budget is mostly for recurrent costs, not programs, and this affects the implementation of child related programmes, whilst allocations to several key Ministries, Departments and Agencies with mandate and responsibility for child and family welfare, are largely inadequate”.
Child Protection Alliance (CPA)
The Child Protection Alliance further noted that the National Legal Aid Scheme which is designed to provide free legal services for vulnerable persons, including children, lacks both human and logistical resources at the regional as well as district levels.
With regard to the statement, girls and boys living in Ghana continue to face frequent and multiple types of physical, emotional, verbal abuse and violence.
CPA Ghana revealed that it is currently designing programmes that will help to provide a safe environment and also promote peaceful co-existence in areas where children are more liable to conflicts. This, according to CPA, will enable children to undertake peace-building and non-violence initiatives within and between their communities.
“The project will enhance human security by developing local capacity for holistic community-based approach to child abuse prevention.”
Child Protection Alliance (CPA)
CPA Ghana therefore petitioned international organisations that focuses on children such as UNICEF, UNESCO, Plan International, Care International, World Vision and Save the Children among others to assist the Protection Alliance with both technical and financial support in order to undertake its mandate.
They also advised the government to urgently provide adequate human, technical and financial resources required for the effective functioning of the Child and Family Welfare System at all levels.
“This, we believe, will help such institutions and agencies to design child and family welfare programmes and activities to effectively prevent and protect children from all forms of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation.”
Child Protection Alliance (CPA)
Child Protection should be everyone’s concern
Few months ago, the Chairperson of the Upper West Regional Child Protection Committee, Mr. Peter Maala, indicated that issues concerning child protection and welfare needs should be the concern of every responsible citizen of the country.
He underscored that children were subjects of various forms of abuses, especially child labour, which was hostile to their development and well-being.
During a meeting, Mr. Maala disclosed that some parents possess the intention of training their wards through apprenticeship but end up placing their children in harm’s way and exposing the children to certain dangers.
The Chairman of the Child Protection Committee stated that such parents often do not consider the adverse impact of these works on the lives of the children, given their ages and abilities.
“Some parents will tell you they are training their children so that they will take over from them. They don’t consider the age of the child.
Peter Maala
“These are issues that are nagging; in teaching the child, do you consider the hazards you are taking him or her through?”
Peter Maala
Mr. Maala, therefore, urged members of the Committee to take a critically examine at such issues to ensure children are adequately protected and made to enjoy their absolute rights.
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