Subjecting children to �violent disciple� has been identified as a major contributing factor in raising children who exhibit violent characteristics while growing up.
In Ghana, canning and other forms of violent discipline especially in schools are a norm.
Challenging Heights, a non-governmental organization is therefore challenging citizens to learn alternative behavioural management approaches rather than resorting to the �primitive� use of inflicting pain as a way of instilling discipline.
Mr David Kofi Awusi, Advocacy Manager, Challenging Heights, on the occasion of the International Day for Non-Violence discipline said there is good evidence showing that inflicting pain through corporal punishment as a way of disciplining children is a very weak method for correcting wrong behaviour compared to other methods.
Challenging Heights reiterated that fact that the most common forms of violence against children are child labour, child trafficking, domestic slavery and an outdated culture of disciplining children by corporal punishment.
�Challenging Heights further condemned all forms of violence against children in Ghana, especially corporal punishment in all schools and homes�.
According to the organization, �Contrarily, existing evidence shows that corporal punishment leaves emotional and psychosocial scars on victims, reduces mental development and school performance and is likely to make children more violent�.
A research by the United Nations Children�s Fund placed Ghanaian children 7th in the world as victims of �violent discipline�.
Violent discipline is defined as by UNICEF as actions taken by a parent or caregiver that are intended to cause a child physical pain or emotional distress as a way to correct behaviour and act as a deterrent. Violent discipline can take two forms: psychological aggression and physical or corporal punishment.
In 2012 alone, homicide took the lives of about 95,000 children and adolescents under the age of 20 � almost 1 in 5 of all homicide victims that year, according to a report by UNICEF.
Again around 6 in 10 children between the ages of 2 and 14 worldwide (almost a billion) are subjected to physical punishment by their caregivers on a regular basis.
To this end UNICEF launched #ENDviolence in 2013 an initiative that builds on growing public consensus that violence against children can no longer be tolerated � and that it can only be stopped by the collective efforts of ordinary citizens, policymakers, governments and international stakeholders.
Let's remain alert and refuse to become complacent
Ghanaians have been asked to continue to be on the alert and sustain the public education campaign on the deadly Ebola disease to shield the nation from any outbreak.
Mrs. Rose Baalaboore, a Consultant working with the NGO, Hope for Future Generation (HFFP), said nobody should be complacent and that the people must be assisted to do the right things.
She was speaking at a day�s workshop on the hemorrhagic viral fever held for 80 queens and pregnant women in the Ahafo-Ano North District at Tepa.
The programme was organized by the NGO with support from the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFDA) and the goal was help the participants to identify the symptoms, mode of transmission and prevention.
Mrs. Baalaboore said it was important people listened to the advice by health professionals and adhered to safety practices.
This, was important, because there was not yet any known cure for the disease, he added.
Mrs. Elsie Ayel, an official of the HFFG, educated the people on the symptoms of the disease and asked that anybody, who showed any of the signs reported immediately to the health facilities.
She reminded them to help to raise awareness in their communities and promote health safety practices.
Nana Yaa Boatemaa, Secretary of the District Queens Association, pledged to share the knowledge acquired with everybody in their various communities.
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