By Agnes Ansah/Priscilla Ofori, GNA
Accra, Sept. 16, GNA – The Government has made significant strides in child protection this year, with five major bills and policies advanced through Cabinet.
The policies are the Early Childhood Care and Development Policy, Domestic Violence Policy, Children’s Amendment Bill, Children and Young Persons Justice Administration Bill, and Domestic Abuse Bill.
Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, said the reforms were to strengthen the legal framework for child protection, improve justice delivery for children in conflict with the law, and tackle all forms of abuse.
She said this during the Government Accountability Series in Accra on Wednesday.
Dr Lartey, however, noted that child protection could not be achieved through laws alone, stressing the need for support from parents, community leaders, civil society organisations and other stakeholders.
“Our child protection efforts cannot be ended with law alone; community support remains critical to sustaining the gains made,” she said.
Beyond the bills and policies, Dr Lartey said government interventions had directly impacted the lives of children, with 291 vulnerable children receiving care, counselling and education across five residential and subvented homes nationwide.
She said a nationwide child rights awareness campaign had also reached 1,168,278 Ghanaians, sensitising communities on child protection, responsible parenting and the dangers of child marriage.
On teenage pregnancy, Dr Lartey said the situation had improved, although significant challenges remained, particularly along the coast, due to factors including the unaffordability of sanitary pads.
She expressed the hope that the President’s initiative to distribute sanitary pads to schoolgirls would help reduce the incidence.
Dr Lartey also said the incidence of pregnant girls being unable to return to school after childbirth was now a thing of the past, following the Ghana Education Service’s re-entry policy.
She said the legal reforms would have little impact if citizens were unable to report cases of abuse and other violations to the Ministry.
Dr Lartey said the Ministry had, therefore, initiated the Single Window Citizens’ Engagement Service, which had so far received 520 grievance cases and resolved 364.
She said although some Ghanaians were already benefiting from the service, others were yet to learn about it, creating the need for increased sensitisation.
She urged citizens to contact the toll-free lines, 0800 800 800 and 0800 0900 0900, on any network to report cases of abuse and receive protection.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe
Reporters: Agnes Ansah/Priscilla Ofori
Email: [email protected]/[email protected]