The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCPS) on Thursday conducted the final national consultation on the children’s bill and the Child Justice Administration for stakeholders to make critical inputs into the bills.
When passed into law, the two bills would ensure that children are protected and cared for in a more dignified manner.
The sector minister, Madam Lariba Zuweira Abudu, in her remarks said the government remained poised on building a robust legislative framework to tackle the elements that destroy children and make things right for their holistic development.
She said the legal reform process formed part of efforts to establish a system that identifies the needs of all children, establish structures and resources to support the right of every child, and ensure timely response and best outcomes for children.
“After this consultative meeting, the inputs and comments that would be shared here today will be consolidated and submitted to the Attorney General for advice. The Ministry will then present the Bills for cabinet approval after which parliamentary passage will be sought,” she added.
She indicated that Ghana prides itself in being the first country to ratify the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in February 1990, adding that the CRC enjoined Ghana as a state party to put in place measures such as legislation, institutions, and programmes to promote the rights and total well-being of all children in the country irrespective of their backgrounds.
In a speech read on her behalf, Chief Justice, Gertrude Torkornoo, said it was exciting to know that the sector ministry was spearheading the enactment of these two bills formulated to ensure the welfare and protection of all children, including those in conflict with the law, hence the children’s bill 2021 and the child justice bill, 2021 respectively.
To ensure the holistic development of the Ghanaian child, she said there was the need to implement laws to protect them in the “modernised world that we live in.”
Explaining, she mentioned that with robust legislation and policing system, children would be better placed to grow up in a safe environment and achieve their greatest potentials.
According to the Chief Justice, one of the concerns predominantly featuring in child adjudication panels and courts had always been the inability to secure free health services for vulnerable child victims who required such assistance from public medical facilities.
The President of the National House of Chiefs, Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi II, in a speech read on his behalf said his outfit was enthused about the amendment of child related legislations to further strengthen the legal framework to better protect children from abuse and ensure they enjoyed life in all its fullness.
“In our capacity as traditional rulers we pledge our unflinching support for our children, and we will cooperate with stakeholders to ensure the effective implementation of laws in our respective communities,” he added.
BY RAISSA SAMBOU
