Wechiau, (UW/R), Feb. 4, GNA – Madam Matilda Chireh, the Upper West Regional Director of the Department of Children (DoC), has stressed the need for children to be allowed to participate in the decision-making process on issues that affect their everyday lives.

She said the notion that, “children are to be seen but not heard” should be nib in the bud as it was the right of children to express their views on issues of concern to them.

Madam Chireh said this at Wechiau at the inauguration of the Wa West Children’s Parliament on the theme: “Setting the Stage for Future Prospects”.

The Upper West Regional DoC inaugurated the Children’s Parliament with funding support from the Plan International Ghana.

The Upper West Regional Youth Parliament trained the members of the children’s parliament on the parliamentary proceedings to enable them to discharge their duties well.

They were selected form the 17 communities in the district where Plan International Ghana was operating including Nyoli, Kachao, Wechiau and Bankpama communities.

“The children’s parliament offers the children the opportunity to debate on issues that affect children. They are able to hold stakeholders responsible on issues that matter to children”, Madam Chireh said.

She indicated that the parliament was also an avenue for the children to build their leadership capacities and aspire to become responsible leaders in the future.

Madam Chireh added that it was the vision of her department to create a society where issues affecting children were addressed to enable them to develop into responsible people.

Mr Kamaldeen Iddrisu, the Programmes Coordinator for Plan International Ghana, Wa Office, explained that the organisation had planned to inaugurate similar parliaments in other districts where they operated.

He said they were interested in bringing children and other stakeholders together to fight for the interest of children saying, “issues of child abuse and child protection need collective fight”.

Mr Idrisu indicated that Plan International Ghana was partnering with government agencies and departments in the establishment of the parliaments as part of measures to sustain them for posterity.

The children, in their maiden sitting, summoned the Wa West Education Directorate to give account of what it was doing to reduce teenage pregnancy in the district, especially among school children.

Madam Hawawu Daari, the Wa West District Girls Education Officer, indicated that the COVID-19 pandemic had increased the rate of teenage pregnancy and school drop-out among girls in the district.

According to her in 2021, 441 girls in the district dropped out of school to engage in activities such as “kayaye” and “galamsey”, out of which 16 basic school and six Senior High School girls returned to school through the back-to-school campaign.

She attributed it to poverty, poor parental control and negative cultural and social practices.

She said the Assembly, with support from Plan International Ghana, had initiated the process to enact and gazette byelaws against teenage pregnancy and its related issues in the district.

GNA

Wechiau, (UW/R), Feb. 4, GNA – Madam Matilda Chireh, the Upper West Regional Director of the Department of Children (DoC), has stressed the need for children to be allowed to participate in the decision-making process on issues that affect their everyday lives.

She said the notion that, “children are to be seen but not heard” should be nib in the bud as it was the right of children to express their views on issues of concern to them.

Madam Chireh said this at Wechiau at the inauguration of the Wa West Children’s Parliament on the theme: “Setting the Stage for Future Prospects”.

The Upper West Regional DoC inaugurated the Children’s Parliament with funding support from the Plan International Ghana.

The Upper West Regional Youth Parliament trained the members of the children’s parliament on the parliamentary proceedings to enable them to discharge their duties well.

They were selected form the 17 communities in the district where Plan International Ghana was operating including Nyoli, Kachao, Wechiau and Bankpama communities.

“The children’s parliament offers the children the opportunity to debate on issues that affect children. They are able to hold stakeholders responsible on issues that matter to children”, Madam Chireh said.

She indicated that the parliament was also an avenue for the children to build their leadership capacities and aspire to become responsible leaders in the future.

Madam Chireh added that it was the vision of her department to create a society where issues affecting children were addressed to enable them to develop into responsible people.

Mr Kamaldeen Iddrisu, the Programmes Coordinator for Plan International Ghana, Wa Office, explained that the organisation had planned to inaugurate similar parliaments in other districts where they operated.

He said they were interested in bringing children and other stakeholders together to fight for the interest of children saying, “issues of child abuse and child protection need collective fight”.

Mr Idrisu indicated that Plan International Ghana was partnering with government agencies and departments in the establishment of the parliaments as part of measures to sustain them for posterity.

The children, in their maiden sitting, summoned the Wa West Education Directorate to give account of what it was doing to reduce teenage pregnancy in the district, especially among school children.

Madam Hawawu Daari, the Wa West District Girls Education Officer, indicated that the COVID-19 pandemic had increased the rate of teenage pregnancy and school drop-out among girls in the district.

According to her in 2021, 441 girls in the district dropped out of school to engage in activities such as “kayaye” and “galamsey”, out of which 16 basic school and six Senior High School girls returned to school through the back-to-school campaign.

She attributed it to poverty, poor parental control and negative cultural and social practices.

She said the Assembly, with support from Plan International Ghana, had initiated the process to enact and gazette byelaws against teenage pregnancy and its related issues in the district.

GNA