Accra, June 18, GNA- Dr Sarah Dalglish, Executive Director of the Children in All Policies (CAP- 2030), has reiterated its commitment to protect the rights of children.
She underscored the need for children to be protected in all sectors of life.
Dr Dalglish said this during a webinar to launch the CAP-2030 Ghana Roadmap.
The CAP-2030 works to mainstream children’s health and well-being in all policies, to ensure an equitable, sustainable future.
It implements the recommendations of the World Health Organisation (WHO) – United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF)- Lancet Commission.
It builds multi-sectoral coalitions to put children in all policies, addresses harmful commercial marketing to children and amplifies children’s voices and perspectives to fight the climate crisis.
Dr Dalglish said CAP-2030 worked with WHO and UNICEF to produce a granular, visually descriptive data dashboard to guide policy decision-making for children across sectors.
She noted that 40 per cent of children lived in informal settlements, with overcrowding, health hazards, poor access to services, poverty and social exclusion.
The Executive Director said CAP 2030 had collaborated with partners around the world to convene a Youth Council with an inspiring cohort of children and young people from ages 12years to 25 years.
Dr Dalglish said the Council addressed topics such as youth rights, education, health and wellbeing.
Violence against children, she said, violated their rights and was strongly linked with developing anti-social behaviour as an adult.
The Executive Director commended Government for its efforts in protecting the rights of children.
Mrs Florence Ayisi Quartey, Acting Director, Department of Children of the Gender Ministry, noted that one out of five girls and three per cent of boys had experienced child marriage.
She therefore called for the collaboration of stakeholders to protect and prioritise children in all policies for national development.
The Acting Director appealed to parents to holistically plan for their children to make them successful in future while living exemplary lives for them to emulate.
Mr Gregory Dery, Child Protection and Advocacy Manager, World Vision International noted that the drivers of child marriage included illiteracy, poverty, inadequate resources to combat it and ineffective enforcement of laws.
Mr Dery appealed to Government to adequately resource the Gender Ministry to coordinate and fight the menace effectively.
GNA