UN Committee on the Rights of the Child commends Ghana for Children’s Model Summit of the Future as it Concludes Review of Ghana’s Child Rights Record

Ghana was applauded for hosting of the 2024 Children’s Model Summit of the Future in Accra, where 82 children engaged in policy discussions.

The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child has wrapped up its review of Ghana’s sixth and seventh combined reports under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, praising key initiatives while spotlighting persistent challenges.

Presenting the report, Gender, Children and Social Protection Minister Hon. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey reaffirmed Ghana’s leadership in child rights, recalling it was the first country to ratify the Convention in 1990. She highlighted a nationwide, decentralised child protection and family welfare system reaching even underserved communities.

Committee Expert and Taskforce Coordinator Benyam Dawit Mezmur applauded Ghana’s hosting of the 2024 Children’s Model Summit of the Future in Accra, where 82 children engaged in policy discussions, a milestone for youth participation.

Progress on birth registration was noted, with rates climbing from 58% in 2015 to 91% in 2023, thanks to the Births and Deaths Act (2020), mobile registration, and community registers.

Yet concerns remain. Committee Expert and Taskforce Member, Aissatou Alassane Sidikou flagged the continued acceptance of corporal punishment despite UN recommendations. Ghana’s delegation responded by citing strengthened collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Ghana Education Service, legal prohibitions on inhumane treatment, and the forthcoming National Parenting Strategy (2025) to end violence against children and women.

On birth registration, officials stressed it is free until age one, with late registration available, and community volunteers ensuring nationwide coverage in accessible formats.

The Ghanaian delegation included representatives from the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection; the Ministry of Justice; the Ministry of Finance; the Parliament of Ghana; and the Permanent Mission of Ghana to the United Nations Office at Geneva.

The Committee will issue its concluding observations on Ghana at the end of its one hundredth session on 30 January.