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Compassion International Ghana (CIG), a Non-Governmental Organisation, has appealed to government to ensure that children’s needs are prioritized in the ongoing judicial reforms.

The organisation expressed commitment to continue to promote the use of the legal systems for redress of cases of child abuse, exploitation and neglect.

This was in a statement signed by Mrs Gifty Dansoa Appiah, the National Director of CIG, and copied to Peacefmonline.com on Tuesday to mark this year's African Union Day of the African Child, which falls on June 16.

The AU Day of the African Child was instituted in 1976 on June 16, in memory of the children who died in Soweto, South Africa.

"As we commemorate the Day, we will like to encourage all stakeholders to continue to invest in and protect the interest and rights of the Ghanaian child,” it said.

“We thank our Frontline Church Partners (FCP) and all the personnel of the judiciary who in diverse ways have upheld the rights of Ghanaian children at the courts over the years,” portions of the statement read.

Find full statement below:

COMMEMORATION OF THE AU DAY OF THE AFRICAN CHILD, 2020

Tomorrow 16th June is the Day of the African child. The celebration of the AU Day of the African Child (DAC) was instituted in the year 1976 on the 16th of June and is to be celebrated each year in memory of the children who died as a result of the unfortunate incident that took place in Soweto, South Africa.

The African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC) has chosen the theme of this year’s commemoration as “Access to a Child-Friendly Justice System in Africa". This theme is aimed at fostering Africa’s fit for children as they benefit from a child-sensitive criminal system.

Compassion International Ghana believes that children should be known, loved and protected. We believe the protection of children is central to God’s heart.

As an expression of that belief, Compassion Ghana places the love, care and protection of children above all other considerations. Because children living in extreme poverty are among the most vulnerable in the world, Compassion International Ghana (CIGH) together with her Frontline Church Partners (FCPs) have established clear policies that are designed to promote the safety and protection of the over 90,000 children our program in Ghana and also advocate for all Children in deprived communities in which we serve.

In joining millions of children and other partners across the world to celebrate this important day and especially in a difficult moment like the one we are in now, Compassion Ghana would like to remind partners especially the Government of the immense and collective role we to play in the protection of children from maltreatment, hunger, sexual abuse and all forms of injustices.

Compassion Ghana is humbly calling on Government and all stakeholders to prioritize the protection of children particularly during this pandemic. Compassion Ghana also appeals to the Chief Justice to ensure that children’s needs are prioritized in the ongoing judicial justice reforms.

Compassion will continue to promote the usage of our legal systems and laws as the most appropriate legal outlets for a redress of cases of child abuse, exploitation and neglect, while also recognizing that parents and partners play a critical supportive role in these efforts.

As a child cantered and advocacy organization, Compassion International Ghana (CIGH) will continue to support and encourage our Frontline Church Partners to protect and love all abused children in our program by assigning them caring adults who will provide them with legal expertise and also work to ensure they receive the benefits of the justice system in Ghana should the need arise.

Also, CIGH together with her partners commits to continue to pay all legal fees associated with accessing the justice system for all children in our program.

As we commemorate the day, CIGH will like to encourage all stakeholders to continue to invest in and protect the interest and rights of the Ghanaian child. We will also like to seize the opportunity to thank our Frontline Church Partners and all the personnel of the judiciary who in diverse ways have upheld the rights of Ghanaian children at the courts over the years.

Aside children being out of school during this pandemic, there has been a widespread job and income loss and economic uncertainty among families, and this is likely to increase the rates of sexual, physical, emotional abuse and neglect of children. There is a need for all stakeholders to act urgently to protect children during this pandemic.

Compassion International Ghana as a child advocacy organization is committed to working with government and also collaborate with other sectors to respond to the protection of children in this COVID-19 period.

We are currently working with our Frontline Church Partners to;

1. Educate the children and youth on the COVID-19 pandemic and its related child protection risks as well as educating them to be active agents in their protection.

2. Create awareness of the COVID-19 pandemic and educate the community on parenting during the COVID-19 pandemic.

3. Strengthen families by educating caregivers to emotionally support and protect their children, provide financial and material assistance such as (food, hygiene and household items to families, whose income-generating opportunities have been affected.

4. Provide psychosocial support to children and families who need emotional support.

Compassion Ghana wishes all children in Ghana happy celebrations and prays that the good Lord will continue to protect all Children against all injustices and this present COVID-19 pandemic.


SIGNED


GIFTY DANSOA APPIAH
NATIONAL DIRECTOR


Compassion has been working in Ghana since 2005 as a Holistic Child Sponsorship Organisation. There are now over 2 MILLION children globally being loved and protected in over 7,000 local churches in 25 countries around the world! And it’s all because of YOU!