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The International Child Development Programme (ICDP) has called for collective action against child abuse in the country.
It said it was important for individuals, civil society organizations, traditional leaders and the government to play their respective roles in intensifying efforts to eradicate all forms of child abuse.
A press statement signed by Madam Joyce Larnyoh, the Country Director of the ICDP and copied to the Ghana News Agency, said perpetrators of such heinous acts should be made to face the full force of the law.
That would serve as a deterrent to others who abused children in the name of disciplining them.
The statement indicated that child abuse in any form was not only a moral failing, but a fundamental violation of the rights of children as enshrined in both the Ghanaian law and international conventions.
“The Children’s Act 1998 (Act 560) outlined the responsibility of parents, guardians, and society in ensuring the well-being of children and protecting them from harm,” it stated.
The statement observed that the Children’s Act 1998 (Act 560) and Article 28 of the 1992 Constitution were aligned with Ghana’s commitments under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.
Beyond legal enforcement, the ICDP mentioned that it was important to identify the root cause of such violent treatment of children.
It listed cultural norms that tolerate corporal punishment, economic hardships, and the lack of awareness about alternative positive parenting practices, as some of the causes of child abuse.
As a result, the ICDP affirmed its commitment to working with communities to promote responsible
parenting, child protection education, and psychosocial support for victims of abuse.
Citing an alleged child abuse incident which occurred recently at Gomoa Nkwantanan in the Central region, where a couple were arrested for chaining their nine years old son in a bush for two days as punishment for perceived stubbornness.
The ICDP condemned such and other barbaric upbringings and called on the law enforcement agencies to expedite investigation to ensure justice for all victims of child abuse.
The statement encouraged citizens to speak out against child abuse, report cases to the right authorities, promote positive parenting practices and support child protection initiatives.
These, the statement noted, would help create a safe, loving and supportive environment for children to thrive in as the future of the country depended on how well children were nurtured.
