Sunyani, July 4, Space FM - The Chief Executive of Redemption Care International, (RCI) a Non Governmental Organisation,(NGO), Nana Yaa Abrefi Bonsu, has advocated that there should be legislation to check the imposition of religious doctrines that infringe upon the rights of the child, such us the refusal of certain sects to allow the transfusion of blood to sick children.
"Any parent or guardian who breaches this law must be punished in accordance with the law," she said in an interview with Space FM on the line from USA where she is currently doing further studies.
Nana Abrefi said "it is unfortunate that some religious doctrines and practices should be allowed to extend to affect the health of children. This practice obviously seeks to threaten the life of children who might require them."
She was concerned about harsh punishments often administered to children in a bid to correct them for wrong doing and advised that all forms of corporal punishment should be stopped because it violates the rights of children.
“Children must be considered to be fragile and vulnerable”, she said adding that, "any infliction of pain on them will likely lead to the retardation of their mental development".
The chief executive, therefore suggested the formulation of strategies and plans to educate parents on the training of their children for them to become productive and useful citizens in the future. She said it is regrettable that the African child lives in an environment that denies him or her, the requisite facilities that should make the child become enlightened to assume a leadership role in society.
She observed that the girl child for instance lives under the threat of sexual harassment, physical and emotional abuse, and even denial of formal education.She noted that child trafficking for slavery and forced labour is on the increase and warned that unless the trend is stopped it would lead to the destruction of society.
Nana Abrefi, who was recently awarded by Divine Channels for her dedicated service to the youth, needy, vulnerable children and the deprived in the society, called for a conserted effort by all interest groups and child advocate organisations to evolve programmes to check issues relating to child abuse and neglect.
She called for the speedy disposal of cases involving child abuse to remove the stress on parents and bring to a quick end the trauma that victims of child abuse go through.
