Accra, June 15, GNA - Madam Gifty Twum Ampofo, the Deputy Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, on Thursday said engagement among various stakeholders on children development should go beyond verbal collaboration but include resource mobilisation.
Madam Ampofo said securing meaningful participation from people, especially at the community levels required resources materials, financial, human to make significant impact on the agenda to ensure that the Ghanaian child grow to become the desired adults.
The Deputy Minister was speaking at a symposium to commemorate the Day of the African Child organised by Compassion International Ghana on the theme: “Accelerating Protection, Empowerment and Equal Opportunity for Children.”
It also forms part of the celebration, which falls on Friday June 16, to raise awareness of the continuing need for improvement of education provided to African children.
The Deputy Minister said the protection of children from all forms of violence was integrated into all the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) ranging from gender equality to protection from economic exploitation.
Madam Ampofo noted that “the indicators to accelerate the protection of child include the need to reduce all forms of violence and related death rates, including ending abuse, exploitation, torture, and trafficking of children, as well as promoting the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensuring equal access to justice for all”.
She said the country had shown good progress in providing a safe environment for the development of children by ensuring a sound policy, conducive legal environment and the implementation of practical interventions.
Madam Ampofo said to ensure the empowerment and equal opportunity; there was the need to target social and economic groups to ensure that no child was ignored.
She said, for the country to achieve the SDGs related to children’s right, it was dependent on meaningful engagement between various stakeholders like duty-bearers, the right holders, monitoring/accountability agencies and partners.
Reverend Philip Tutu, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Society of International Ministries Ghana, said the right of the Child included the right to life, family life, recreation and education adding, these rights needed to be protected.
Rev Tutu said a child with disability must be given effective access to healthcare and education to achieve their full potential.
He said the voice of the African children must be heard and respected in all matters concerning their lives.
He said children’s views should be sought before making decision that affected them.
Rev Tutu said the African child occupied a privilege and unique position in the society, which pointed to the fact that their potentials needed to be developed to thrive in the atmosphere of love.
He commended Compassion International Ghana for their immense support for liberating children from poverty.
Mr Padmore Baffour Agyapong, the Country Director of Compassion International Ghana, said Compassion International Ghana had been working in Ghana over the last 12 years, ministering to more than 74,000 children across six regions of the country.
Mr Agyapong said more than 90 per cent of child-related abuse received were sexual abuse while 96 per cent constituted girl-child victims.
He said there was always the need to talk about the issues concerning children because they believed that every child was born with certain potentials needed for national growth but the environment contributed to their effectiveness.
Compassion International Ghana is global child development organisation that is releasing children from poverty in Jesus’ name.
GNA
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