Northern Regional Director of Department of children, Mr Iddrisu Sunday has admonished parents to be responsible in the upbringing of their children. Parents he said have the greater responsibility to protect the children.
Mr Sunday expressed his disappointment at children involvement in political activities and entreated parents to take full responsibility of any activities their children are engaged in.
He also advised children to remind their parents to provide them the necessary facilities including toilets for them.
Addressing children at the inauguration of Children Believe Regional Child Friendly and Accountability Mechanism forum on the theme; ’’Election 2020: A win for Children’’ Mr Sunday said the children arenot asking for too much for basic things that will ensure their safety.
He commended Children Believe for their continue efforts in championing the cause of children in Ghana. Mr Sunday also urged beneficiaries of communities Child-Friendly Accountability Mechanism (CFAM) project to play their part to compliment the Children Believe effort.
CFAM seeks to empower children to meaningfully participate in making certain that those charge with protecting and fulfilling children’s rights do what they are supposed to do in accordance with their obligations under the international human rights law.
Country Manager of Children Believe, Mrs Esenam Kavi De Souza expressing worried about continue child abuse and its financial burden on the country which is estimated at over 200m dollars equivalent to 1% of Ghana’s Domestic Gross Product(GDP).
The 2013 Unite Nation Children Fund (unicef), child protection based-line report indicates that about 3.4 million children in Ghana experience all forms of abuse including medical and social protection issues.
The short time consequences of these abuse Mrs Esenam observed are medical issues and the need for social welfare intervention whilst long time consequences comprises of physical health, absences at school and psychological impact on the child.
She lamented about how children not having regular access to meaningful accountability mechanisms, limited to no voices and platforms and access to resources.
These gap, Mrs Esenam said must be breached to ensure the welfare of all children. Children Believe she said is leading the implementation of a pilot with FY20 and FY22 for its global action with its partners such as AGK Ghana and Martha Al-Bishara in 13 communities from Sagnarigu Municipality and Nanumba North District of the northern region together with other countries such as Burkina Faso, India and Nicaragua
