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Ghanaian CSOs petition Parliament for urgent child protection reforms
via GhanaWeb2 min read
Civil society organizations in Ghana have petitioned Parliament to implement urgent reforms to strengthen the country's child protection system. They cite persistent funding shortages, weak institutional coordination, and limited capacity at the district level as ongoing challenges contributing to rising cases of child abuse, trafficking, and child labor. This call follows a national dialogue organized by SOS Children's Villages Ghana, which gathered over 140 stakeholders to discuss weaknesses in the child protection framework. Gloria Emeka, National Advocacy Advisor for SOS Children’s Villages Ghana, highlighted inadequate funding and overstretched social welfare systems as major obstacles. She proposed a dedicated domestic budget for child protection, suggesting that at least five percent of the District Assemblies Common Fund be allocated to child protection initiatives, particularly Community Child Protection Committees CCPCs. Ernest Yaw Anim, Chairman of Parliament’s Human Rights Committee, supported the proposal for establishing CCPCs across all district assemblies to enhance reporting and monitoring of abuse cases. Frank Asiedu Bekoe, Member of Parliament for Suhum, indicated that Parliament would collaborate with relevant ministries and use parliamentary instruments to implement these recommendations, emphasizing the urgency of strengthening child protection mechanisms nationwide.
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