2nd Lady pledges to take action against all forms of child abuse

Her Excellency the Second Lady of Ghana, Mrs. Samira Bawumia has passionately expressed her support to the fight against child abuse in Ghana.

Speaking at the launch of a campaign spearheaded by UNICEF and Ghana, called GACA movement, “Ghanaians Against Child Abuse” in Accra on Tuesday, 21st November, 2017, she stated that “as a mother, ensuring the protection and well-being of children is extremely important to me. So today I pledge to be a GACA. And I personally pledge to support the call on all Ghanaians to take action against all forms of child abuse.’’

Explaining more about the GACA movement, the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Honourable Otiko Djaba said: ‘‘what we seek to achieve ultimately with the Ghanaians Against Child Abuse movement is to mobilize communities, parents, traditional rulers, families and individuals across our country to stand against all forms of child abuse. This call to action is for everyone to be committed to ensuring a safer Ghana for our children and put children first. We invite everyone to become a Ghanaian Against Child Abuse - I am a GACA and I call on you too to become a GACA.”

She said, even though there are outlets for addressing child abuse in Ghana, there is a lack of safe and trusted ways to report. In many instances, various forms of abuse against children are not reported because it is widely accepted and seen as normal. From the adult point of view, the Domestic Violence Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service and the Department of Social Welfare (DSW) may provide safe and trusted ways of reporting but from the child’s point of view, these institutions seem intimidating and not child friendly. For instance, the child is faced with the problem of reporting one adult to another adult, who may see the child as being too outspoken and could even be hostile. In addition, children are often afraid to report abuse because of the shame they feel about it or the possible consequences for themselves and others. These issues make violence against children a hidden problem in Ghana.

She emphasized that a lot of the child abuse cases reported to DOVVSU or DSW indicate that the vast majority of violence is carried out by people who are part of children’s lives, usually known and trusted by them. These include parents (may be biological or other), relatives, teachers, instructors, law enforcement officials, social workers, and employers. Strangely, these are persons children usually place their trust in, and yet turn out to be the same persons who turn out to abuse them. she therefore urged Ghanaians to rise up to the occasion and unite as “Ghanaians Against Child Abuse”.

The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Honourable Alima Mahama also expressed her support for movement and said, “As the GACA movement is launched today, I call on all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to commit resources to ensure regular engagements with families and communities.”

Statistics of Child abuse in Ghana

Currently in Ghana more than 90 per cent of children have experienced some form of physical violence. More than 21 per cent of women aged between 20 and 24 years were married before the age of 18. Sixteen per cent of girls aged between 15 and 19 years old had their first experience of sexual intercourse forced against their will.

While an estimated 23 per cent of children aged between five and 14 years are engaged in some form of economic activity in Ghana. This high level of abuse of all forms has prompted the need for stakeholders to take stronger action to stem the tide of such abuses.

UNICEF Ghana Representative, A.I. Rushnan Murtaza also said that : “the timing of the launch of this important movement could not be more appropriate. Recently we celebrated World Children’s Day, and the International Day for the Prevention of Child Abuse. For the success and future of any country, we must ensure the protection, safety and opportunities for all children. We are excited for the potential momentum and impact of the GACA movement, which encourages the spirit of intolerance and speaking out. UNICEF and partners are confident that it won’t be long before we see that every Ghanaian has become a champion against child abuse and declared themselves a GACA.”

He said the Government of Ghana in collaboration with UNICEF with the support of Global Affairs Canada, the Korea International Co-operation Agency (KOICA) and the United States and civil society organizations will use various channels including the media to create awareness on child abuse issues whilst mobilizing nationwide support to provide a safe and protective environment for children to develop to their full potential.

He said this movement will help to change the narrative of how Ghanaians protect children from all forms of violence, abuse and exploitation.

GACA’s profile

GACA is in line with the Government’s Child and Family Welfare and Justice for Children policies that provide the framework for strengthening the child protection system to prevent and respond appropriately to issues of child abuse.

GACA is led by the Government of Ghana in collaboration with UNICEF and with the support of Global Affairs Canada, the Korea International Co-operation Agency (KOICA) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)