Mrs Esenam Kavi De Souza, Country Manager of Children Believe has urged parents in rural communities to take responsibilities towards their children seriously to help them attain their full potential.
Mrs De Souza, who made the call in a speech read on her behalf during this year’s commemoration of International Day against Child Labour at Dalun in the Kumbungu District of the Northern Region, observed that very often parents reneged on their responsibilities towards their children.
The event was organised by Children Believe, Right To Play, and Regional Advisory Information and Network Systems (RAINS), all non-governmental organisations.
The International Day against Child Labour is commemorated on June 12, every year to raise awareness of the issues of child labour and the need to stop the practice.
Mrs De Souza said “they sleep without knowing the whereabouts of their children, they fail to meet their needs, they fail to supply their school materials and needs and sometimes totally neglect the children.”
She said such situations led the children to rely on peers, boyfriends and sometimes older men for their needs adding “This leads to teenage pregnancies and child marriages.”
She stated that such conditions forced some of the children to engage in child labour adding “Some parents use their children for hazardous work and sometimes keep them out of school for economic reasons.”
Mrs De Souza, therefore, cautioned parents to strive to take care of their children and prevent child labour and encouraged the community to report their members who abused their children to the authorities to serve as a deterrent to others.
In a role-play, the Suhuyini Drama Troupe showed the dangers of abusing children sexually and what the law could do.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Mr Emmanuel Horlortu, Northern Regional Coordinator of the Domestic Violence, Victim Support Unit of the Ghana Police Service cautioned parents against child labour, saying those found culpable of the practice could go to jail.
Other speakers included representatives from the Ghana Education Service, and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice in the district.
Mr Iddrisu Sanday, Northern Regional Director of the Department of Children, with the help of Mba Tuiganaa, the representative of the Chief of Dalun, inaugurated the Community Child Protection Committee, which would oversee child protection issues in the area.
Mr Sanday commended Children Believe, Right To Play and RAINS for commemorating the day for more than 10 years now calling for the strengthening of such partnerships, which worked in the interest of children.
He said such collaboration was needed to weed out the harmful practices against children.
