The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection and its partners are set to celebrate the Day of the African Child tomorrow, June 16, 2022.
This year’s celebration is on the theme: “Eliminating Harmful Practices Affecting Children: Progress on Policy and Practices since 2013.”
A statement issued by the Public Affairs Unit of the Gender Ministry and copied to the Ghana News Agency said the theme was an opportunity to take stock of the efforts of the Government and its partners to effectively eliminate harmful practices affecting children and the way forward.
Since 1991, Ghana has been celebrating the Day of the African Child (DAC) each year to commemorate the 1976 student uprising in Soweto, South Africa.
The high school students protested the apartheid-inspired education, which resulted in the public killing of the unarmed young protesters by police officials.
The celebration is to undertake a national assessment on the status of the legislation and policy frameworks and their implementation to address harmful practices against children.
It is also to sensitise communities to engage children in all efforts implemented towards addressing harmful practices affecting them and mobilise partnership among stakeholders to work towards its elimination.
As part of the celebration, the Ministry said it would organise community forums on the theme nationwide.
It said there would be a radio discussion by Curious Minds and other media engagements.
The statement said there would also be a launch of the Children in all Policy (CAP) 2030 Report and Result Forum on the theme.
It noted that the prevalence of harmful cultural and social practices continued to violate the rights of children in the country.
The harmful practices, the statement said, could prevent children from fully enjoying their fundamental rights as enshrined in the African Children’s Charter, National Laws and Policies on children.
It said the harmful effects of the practices forced children to experience immediate physical and mental consequences and negatively impacted children’s dignity, physical, psychological, moral integrity and development.
The statement said it also affected their level of participation, health, education and socioeconomic status.
The Ministry commended its stakeholders and partners for their relentless efforts in ending harmful practices affecting children across the country.
“Our hope is that the celebration will strengthen the commitment of all stakeholders in fighting all forms of obstacles hindering the development of our children.”
The partners of the Ministry include the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund, World Vision International, Ghana, Plan International, Ghana, Centre for Learning and Childhood Development, SOS Children’s Villages, Afrikids and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
