Govt approves child adoption memorandum

Cabinet has approved a memoranda for the ratification of The Hague 1993 Convention on Inter-Country Adoptions; Amendment of the Children’s Act; and Child and Family Welfare Policy.

The Cabinet also approved that the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography should be laid before Parliament for Ratification.

In a statement signed by Nana Oye Lithur, Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra stated.

The Gender Ministry is tasked to take the necessary action to ensure the ratification of the 1993 Hague Convention on inter-country adoption, which will enable Ghana to better comply with the provisions on alternative care as provided for in the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

It will also provide an opportunity for Ghana to regulate its laws on inter-country adoptions in the best interest of the child.

“Cabinet’s approval for ratification of the Convention will enable Government to create a central authority for Adoption in Ghana to be responsible for the processing of all inter-country adoptions.

“Ghana’s accession to the 1993 Hague Convention on Inter-country Adoption requires that the Children’s Act must be amended which will make monitoring of children placed in inter-country adoption effective,” she said.

She said the Child and Family Welfare Policy seeks to establish a well-structured and coordinated Child and Family Welfare system that promotes the wellbeing of children, prevents abuse and protects children from harm.

The overall goal of the policy is to help formulate child and family welfare programmes and activities to more effectively prevent and protect children from all forms of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation.

The Policy is guided by national and internationally-recognized principles, as well as values, beliefs and practices specific to Ghana.

The statement said; the Optional Protocol criminalises the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography.

The Optional Protocol, also seeks to reinforce the protection of the rights of the child and thus guarantee such rights as relate to sexual and economic exploitation and from doing any work that will interfere with the child’s education or harmful to the health, moral or social development of child.