By Priscilla Oye Ofori/ Emelia Nkrumah
Accra, Aug. 30, GNA — Dr Comfort Asare, Director, Department of Social Welfare, has called on families to create a conducive environment at home for children to stay.
She said: ‘‘The way you show your children love and affection has an effect on them.’’
Dr Asare made the call on the sidelines of a durbar held for street children by the Gender Ministry, through the Department of Children, in partnership with Enhancing Youth Education and Health (EYEH) Soup Kitchen, a Non-governmental Organisation, as part of activities to mark the National Children’s Day.
The day was instituted on 31 August, 1979 by the Government as a key initiative to seek the general welfare and development of children in the country and to promote the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
It is celebrated annually to recognise the essence of the establishment of Government’s machinery for addressing issues of children.
This year’s celebration is on the theme: ‘‘The Role of the Community in Eliminating Harmful Practices.”
Dr Asare said some parents maltreated, deliberately shirked their responsibilities and pushed their children to the street to fend for themselves.
‘‘…Last year alone, we sent over 400 children back home across the country and replaced 245 children with foster parents. So, in total I think the figure is getting to 700,” she noted.
The Director noted that some of the children encountered challenges when they were reunited with their families as they received same treatment meted out to them before they left home, consequently returning to the street.
‘‘One of the girls has been with us for over a year and she was quite okay and we took her back to her home, within two months, they brought her back because they said she was stubborn,’’ Dr Asare said.
She said although some parents were poor, their children became successful in life, therefore, people must rule poverty out of the issue of streetism.
Dr Afisah Zakariah, Chief Director, Gender Ministry, said harmful practices, including child labour and child marriage hindered children from fully enjoying the basic rights set in the African Children’s Charter.
Therefore, the Ministry, she said, was focused on effectively eliminating harmful practices affecting children and protecting victims and those at risk.
She said it would also review policies and practices put in place to resolve the issues of violation of the rights of children across the country.
Mr Nobel Akwesi Atta, a survivor of streetism, said it was unfortunate for children to be on the street because they were exposed to all evils of society, including exploitation.
He advised street children to allow themselves to be rescued from the street and must be submissive to their rescuers.
‘‘Most of the street children prefer to be on the street because they want freedom to do whatever they want,’’ Mr Atta stated.
GNA