Stakeholders at a forum in Bolgatanga have underscored the urgent need for accelerated efforts to address issues negatively affecting growth and development of children. They pointed out child marriages, teenage pregnancy, child trafficking, Female Genital Mutilation, sexual exploitation, and abuses that continued to hinder progress of children in the country which posed serious threat to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They therefore called for collective efforts to fast-track attainment of Sustainable development Goals related to protection of children. The stakeholders who are members of the Upper East Regional Child Protection Committee made the observation during its 2023 fourth quarter meeting, organised by the Department of Children with funding support from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). The participants included the Departments of Children, Gender and Social Welfare and Community Development, Ghana Health Service, Ghana Education Service, National Commission for Civic Education, state human rights institutions, traditional and religious leaders, and civil society organisations. Mr James Twene, Acting Upper East Regional Director of the Department of Gender, said Ghana was likely to miss out on the achievement of the SDGs by 2030 especially goals related to the protection and welfare of children particularly girls if accelerated efforts were not churned out to address these challenges. He explained that child marriage was one of the major factors still affecting children in Ghana particularly girls with the rate currently at 19 per cent and attributed the phenomenon on gender inequality and power imbalances as root causes. Speaking on the topic 'using gender transformative approach to fighting child marriage,' Mr Twene urged critical examination of inequalities and gender roles, norms, and dynamics to strengthen positive norms that support equality and an enabling environment. 'There is the need to promote relative position of women, girls and marginalised groups and transform the underlying social structures, policies and broadly held norms that perpetuate and legitimise inequalities,' he added. He said apart from providing skills training and empowerment especially for adolescents to make them independent and strengthen justice systems, there was the need to increase advocacy and education and involve men and boys in the advocacy programmes to make maximum impact. Ms Yvonne Wonchua, the Gender Desk Officer, Upper East Regional Coordinating Council, noted that although some significant efforts had been made over the years to promote the welfare of children, child protection issues continued to be challenging. She, therefore, charged members of the Child Protection Committee to work together to help eliminate practices that were harmful to children and help achieve gender parity. Pe Thomas Asangchera Aluah, the Chief of Kazigu in the Kassena-Nankana West District, noted that the breakdown of values of the extended family system was major factor leading to certain risky behaviours of adolescents and called for strengthening of positive traditional values of society. Mrs Georgina Aberese-Ako, Acting Upper East Regional Director, Department of Children, noted that the meeting was part of efforts to create a platform for the various child protection institutions to share their activities and coordinate efforts to address issues affecting children. She said the influx of asylum seekers into the region as result of the Sahel crisis required that stakeholders worked together to deliver impactful support to the vulnerable, especially children and avoid duplication of activities and interventions. Source: Ghana News Agency
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