Parents chief perpetrators of child abuses in S/NM

A survey on the status of child rights in the Savelugu/Nanton Municipality (S/NM) has revealed that parents in the municipality were the chief perpetrators of child rights abuses.

The survey, commissioned by the Savana Signatures, an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) focused organization, in August this year, cited teachers, stepmothers and aunties as the lead perpetrators of child rights abuses in the municipality.

It said teenage pregnancies among school girls constituted a major form of child abuse amongst teenage girls in the S/NM adding “The perpetrators of teenage pregnancies unfortunately included teachers”.

It said “Many child abuses, including denial of basic rights such as food, education amongst others go unreported because traditionally a child cannot report an adult”.

Samples of the survey were drawn from four primary schools and six junior high schools (JHS) in the S/NM, which included Langa E/A Primary, Diare E/A Primary, Moglaa JHS, and Wataniya JHS amongst other institutions including Ghana Education Service (GES), National Commission for Civic Education, Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, parents and teachers in the S/NM.

It was released at a workshop organized by Savana Signatures at Savelugu on Tuesday and attended by various stakeholders in education in S/NM to validate its (survey) findings.

The survey aimed at identifying the issues and challenges about children’s rights to education, protection from abuse and violence, right to health, play and recreation and to family life.

It formed part of the phase two of the Integration of ICT in Education Project (IIEP) being implemented by Savana Signatures in the S/NM with the objective to help children to assert their right to social services using the young reporters’ concept as a strategy as well as ensure that pupils were empowered to enjoy their rights, be heard and hold duty bearers to account.

Under the young reporters’ concept, Savana Signatures has provided 10 schools in S/NM with ICT laboratories to enhance research activities of teachers as well as equip pupils with social media tools and radio platforms to report cases of abuse of children in their communities for authorities to address.

Mr Korese Paul Awedam, Assistant Director in-charge of Finance and Administration at S/NM Directorate of Education, who represented the Municipal Director of Education, confirmed the findings saying efforts were being made to correct the misdeeds perpetrated against children.

Mr Awedam said the Municipal Directorate of Education had been holding regular workshops for teachers in the S/NM to improve their performance.

Mr Simon Eten, Education Project Officer of Savana Signatures said the findings would help the organization to formulate the right strategies to engage pupils in the S/NM to enable them to report child rights abuses in their communities for authorities to address.

Mr Eten added that the findings of the survey also confirmed the position of the Child and Family Welfare Policy of government saying more action therefore, was required to improve the situation.