By Caleb Kuleke, GNA
Ho, Dec. 4, GNA- Mr Mathias Gangana, Southern Programme Influencing and Impact Area (SPIIA) Manager for Plan International Ghana, has called on government to commit more resources to child protection issues.
He said it was imperative to allocate resources to child protection to address issues, such as emotional, psychological, and sexual abuse in schools and communities, which often lead to teenage pregnancies.
Mr Gangana, who said this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency at a capacity building workshop for teachers organised by Plan International Ghana in Ho, underscored the need for regular capacity building for teachers and other stakeholders working with children.
He emphasised the importance of collaboration among stakeholders, such as Social Welfare, Department of Children, and Ghana Education Service, in addressing child protection issues.
Mr Gangana also emphasised the importance of continuous training for teachers to equip them with requisite skills in detecting, addressing, and referring child protection issues to relevant authorities for prompt resolution.
He stated that Plan International Ghana was making a significant impact on child protection and gender issues in its operational communities, and he encouraged the participants to be child protection ambassadors in their respective schools and towns.
The Manager stated that Plan International Ghana was committed to conducting child protection-focused activities and projects, as well as collaborating with other stakeholders to address child protection concerns in the country.
Mr Alfred Dzikunoo, Programmes Coordinator at Plan International Ghana’s SPIIA, said the training forms part of Plan’s PROTECT project which seeks to promote a protective and supportive school environment for children and adolescents.
He said the training aimed at strengthening teachers’ knowledge, skills, and capacities, enabling them to actively support and participate in the project activities within their schools.
It was also to build the capacity of teachers to effectively promote and uphold safeguarding, child protection, gender equality and inclusion (GEI), and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in their schools.
Mr Dzikunoo said when teachers were effectively orientated on the PROTECT project’s objectives and components, they would be able to carry out their roles in supporting safe, inclusive, and gender-responsive learning environments.
He said strengthening teachers’ ability to identify, prevent, and respond appropriately to cases of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) among learners was necessary to dealing with the situation.
Mr John Frempong Duah, Project Manager at Adsen Consult, a local non-governmental organisation implementing the PROTECT project, encouraged beneficiary communities to embrace and contribute to the project’s success.
The participants, drawn from South Tongu District and Hohoe Municipal, were taking through topics, including safeguarding, child protection, gender equality and inclusion, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).
Some participants who talked with the GNA praised Plan International Ghana for the training, saying it expanded their knowledge and abilities in creating a safe environment for children and assuring their security.
GNA
Edited by: Maxwell Awumah/Christian Akorlie