Stakeholders schooled on child protection policy

By Bertha Badu-Agyei, GNA
Koforidua, May 4, GNA - Stakeholders from the ministries, departments and agencies working in children's interest have been schooled on the Child and Family Welfare Policy (CFWP) implementation in Koforidua, to establish the relevance of the policy in protecting children's rights.

The participants were taken through the background of the policy formulation, research and studies conducted on challenges of children, budget and cost analysis involved and how to collaborate and build team work among stakeholders towards a common goal.

Mr Sylvester Kyei-Gyamfi, from the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection who facilitated the training said the policy is not alien to traditional practices as some people assume.

He said the policy has taken into account some traditional practices and norms such as the extended family system and its manner of taking care of relatives children in times of tragedy.

He noted that whereas some traditional practices, irrelevant and posed threat to child protection, many others were found to be good and therefore have been incorporated into the policy to ensure that families, communities and traditional leaders take part in the implementation process.

According to Mr Kyei-Gyamfi, child labour and abuse, caning and physically causing harm to children being used as forms of punishment for correction are stereotypes that the new policy seeks to address.

He said there are many forms of correcting a child without using violence or assault whether verbal or physical.

He said in line with changing such stereotypes, the CWFP was to establish an effective child and family welfare system through the strengthening of community structures to effectively prevent and protect children from all forms of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation.

He noted that the policy advocated that traditional leaders, chiefs and queen mother's shall take the lead in their communities in facilitating dialogues and engagement through organised community forums to help increase understanding of child rights and their protection.

Participants at the end of the two-day training programme appreciated the need for stakeholders to come together to protect the rights of children to prevent many social vices such as teenage pregnancies, street children and high school dropout rates for a better society.

GNA