Workshop on safe environment for child well-being opens

Accra, Oct. 14, GNA - A six-day workshop on creating a safe environment for child well-being and increased awareness to global standards for child protection is underway in Accra.

The workshop aims at understanding issues of child rights and protection to enable the development of a more efficient community-based protective system for child care and well-being management.

It brings together national women Council of Women Traditional Leaders, educationist, youth groups and government institution and being organised by the Institute for Research, Advocacy and Training and sponsored by UNICEF.

Mrs Cecilia Anderson, Facilitator for the Workshop, noted that a 2010 report on child protection revealed that there is weak relationship between traditional system and government policy makers on child right and protection.

Mrs Anderson said the workshop is critical because there are many child abuse cases, ranging from child labour, rape and physical assault.

She expressed the hope that the presence of the traditional leaders would help to understand the issues and intensify the education in their communities.

She noted that leaders of faith-based organisations are encouraged to support positive family values and non-violent behaviour through communication and education initiatives to provide care to families, children and adolescents in advocating vulnerable families.

She commended government in establishing the Child and Family Welfare policy in ensuring effective coordination of the child and family welfare services at all levels and empower children to and families to better understand abusive situations and make choices to prevent and respond to situations of risk.

Mrs Anderson said the policy also builds the capacity of institutions and service providers to ensure quality of services for children and families in urban and rural areas.

She urged parents to play active role in the development and training of the children, adding that at the end of the workshop, participants are expected to understand children's needs, causes and factors that leads to child vulnerability and implications to community care initiatives.

Hajia Bukari Kansawruche, Queen Mother of the Bole Traditional Area, commended organisers for initiating the programme since it is important for the rights of children to be protected from any form of abuses.

She said the knowledge gain at the training would help her to disseminate the information in her community on the need to protect children's right since a healthy family leads to healthy nation.

Mr Eugene Armah, Former President of the Ga Dangbe Youth Association called on government to enforce laws on child's policy to ensure their safety.

GNA