By Samuel Akumatey, GNA
Ho, Nov. 11, GNA - Obaapa Development Foundation, a non-Profit Organisation is seeking collaboration with traditional leaders from across the country to help deepen child protection in their communities.
Traditional rulers drawn from all 16 regions, at a day’s forum in Ho on the Ghanaians Against Child Abuse (GACA) campaign, were engaged on how to effectively play their roles in child protection, and appointed as GACA champions.
Nanahemaa Adjoa Awindor, Executive Director of Obaapa Development Foundation, opening the forum, said the aim was to help understand the campaign, and strategize together towards the successful implementation of child protection policies in the communities.
“We are engaging traditional leaders to see how we can expand the campaign nationwide, and we would help them develop working plans suitable for them,” she told the media in an interview.
Mr Israel Akrobeto, Volta Regional Director of the Department of Children who took participants through the Child Protection Act, said abuse, neglect, economic, and sexual exploitation as well as child trafficking and abductions continued to cost the nation its youths, particularly teen girls and infants.
He said traditional leaders, as key stakeholders, must help ensure all forms of abuse were investigated by the appropriate agencies and departments, and perpetrators prosecuted.
Mr Akrobeto called on stakeholders including the Gender Ministry to “decentralise” child protection services, and also called for strong collaboration and collaborative mechanisms among child protection actors.
Mr Emmanuel Nyarko Tetteh, a Child Protection Specialist with UNICEF, said traditional leaders must build relationships with relevant stakeholders, and also engage more with their communities for effective campaign.
He said they needed to build capacities to let children know their rights, survive and develop into quality resources for the nation.
Mr Tetteh also called on the local Assemblies to give priority to child protection, saying UNICEF was supporting metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies with child protection in their medium term development plan.
Mr Robert Akuaku, Brand Manager of GACA, said traditional leaders spearheaded many community engagements and that their involvement in the campaign would have a great impact.
Mama Akuasabea VII, Paramount Queenmother of Akrofu Traditional Area told the media the forum had enhanced her knowledge on the subject, and would help identify and address related issues in her community.
Nana Baimo Takyi Abeam I, Chief of Ofinso Ampabame in the Ashanti Region described the collaboration as a “brilliant venture”, and said the forum was helping correct views on child protection.
He noted that there was more to be done and called on traditional authorities to be deeply involved in the development of the child.
The GACA campaign was launched in 2017 as a multisectoral approach to help prevent all forms of abuses against children nationwide with support from ministries of Children and Social Protection, Local Government and Rural Development, Education, the Canadian Government, USAID, Korean International Cooperation Agency, and UNICEF.
Obaapa Development Foundation focuses on women and children development with great achievements in child advocacy initiatives, supports for teen mothers and rescuing of children in the streets.
GNA
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