Combating child abuse and neglect

Accra (Greater Accra), 1 March '99 -

Accra (Greater Accra), 1 March '99 - A United Nations report on child labour has revealed that Africa accounts for 32 per cent of the world's 250 million children between the ages of five and 14 who are working. Only half of eligible children in Africa are enrolled in primary schools, and the gender gap remains wide. "The girl-child faces discrimination, she receives less food, medical care and education," the report said. Ms Margaret A. Novicki, director, UN Information Centre in Accra, disclosed this at the first National Conference of African Peace Network (APNET) under the theme "Combating Child Abuse and Neglect : A key to peace and development". Ms Novicki said the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is one of the major achievements of the UN. "It spells out individual rights and freedoms for everyone, including society's most defenceless, our children. Therefore, respect for human rights begins with the way society treats its children". She said the UN has placed special emphasis on children and women by focusing on two broad areas - defining and defending children's rights as part of the international human rights law, and working in a practical way to promote and improve health, education and welfare of children. Ms Novicki said Ghana has set up a multi-sectoral task force to draw up a National Programme of Action for the implementation of child's rights. This has been incorporated into the National Policy Framework, Vision 2020, which has paved the way for legal reforms. "It is not enough to have rights enshrined in law; it is only by being aware of those rights that they can be acted upon and defended". She, therefore, called upon NGOs such as the African Peace Network and the media to continue to call attention to deprivations of children's rights and assist them. Deputy Superintendent of Police Esther Appiah of the Women and Juvenile Unit(WAJU) of the Police Service said child abuse and neglect poses profound societal problems and causes difficulties for law enforcement. "In the light of this, it would take the joint effort of the Police, parents, teachers, judges, media practitioners and other concerned citizens to solve the problem," she added. .