By Hafsa
Obeng, GNA
Accra, Oct. 15, GNA- Increasing awareness and
deepening knowledge on the Children’s Act, 1998 (Act 560), the Juvenile Justice
Act, 2003 (Act 653) as well as the Child and Family Welfare Policy,
stakeholders have called for engagements to sensitize and enhance knowledge of
young persons.
They have also called for the inclusion of
persons with disability in decision making processes especially in the
implementation of the National Child and Family Welfare Policy 2015.
Ms Esther Yayra Attipoe, the Legal and
Advocacy Manager of Youth Bridge Foundation (YBF), who made the call at a
forum, said engaging more young persons with disability, on their rights to
participate in decision making processes at the local levels would create the
platforms for their engagements with local government officials.
The forum dubbed: “Access to Justice for
Youth and Persons with Disability in Ghana”, and organized by the YBF,
sought to validate the key messages developed from the Child and Family Welfare
Policy (2015) as well as the “PUZZLED” drama series supported by Open Society
Initiative if West Africa (OSIWA).
Ms Attipoe, who is also the Project Manager
for “Access to Justice for Youth and Persons with Disability in
Ghana” implemented by YBF, said building on the Foundation’s previous
intervention, “Securing the Future of Young People in Ghana through
Improved Juvenile Justice Administration”, is the second phase of the
project.
She said the ongoing Project is being
implemented in six districts in three regions of the country.
“These are Suhum Municipality and Akwapim
North district in the Eastern Region, Agona West and Cape Coast Metropolitan in
the Central Region and Ahanta-West and Sekondi Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly
in the Western Region,” she said.
Mr Seth Oteng, the Executive Director of YBF,
said: “Our commitment to youth –inclusive development is critical for nation
building” stressing that opportunities must be equitably shared.
“That is why YBF is championing policies
such as Right of the Juvenile to Justice to enhance youth development,” he
said.
Mr Oteng recounted how many policies are
difficult to be understood by the young ones, and called for better capacity
building approaches and platforms that would be used to engage the youth in
friendly discourse for better understanding of the countries policies by young
people.
He also expressed worry about the lack of
capacity among the youth to appreciate the beautifully worded and well-intended
policies as well as the platforms to engage in discourse creating gaps in the
implementation of the Child and Family Welfare Policy adding that; “These gaps needs to be addressed
for the development of the youth.”
Mr Oteng said to generate national discussions
among the youth, YBF is going to engage young people in schools and
communities.
Touching on the “PUZZLED”, a drama
series based on key messages developed by YBF from the Child and Family Welfare
Policy, that brings to bare some of the inhumane plights the youth are exposed
to in the country and set to be premiered by YBF, Mr. Oteng noted that he was
looking forward to see the “PUZZLED” helping solve societal ills
confronting the youth in the country.
The 13-episode drama series, is an initiative
of the YBF, and funded by OSIWA.
Speaking on behalf of Madam Gifty Twum-Ampofo,
the Deputy Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP), Mrs.
Florence Ayisi Quartey, the Acting Director, Department of Children at MoGCSP,
charged stakeholders to ensure the welfare of children are protected and
projected in the country since the Children’s Act which was passed in 1998
binds the country to do so.
She expressed happiness about YBF’s
partnership with the Ministry towards the projection and promotion of the Child
and Family Welfare Policy 2015 and its timeliness as the Ministry is planning
towards public sensitization.
She commended Open Society Initiative of West
Africa (OSIWA) for the support to YBF.
The forum brought together about 26
participants drawn from government machinery and agencies that included the
MoGCSP, Department of Social Welfare, Teachers and parents from Special Schools
in Project districts, youth-led community-based organizations as well as in and
out-of-school youth that included Persons with Disability.
As part of events marking the forum,
“Puzzled”, which forms part of activities, marking the phase two
implementation of the “Access to Justice for Youth and Persons with
Disability in Ghana” Project was previewed.
Some participants who spoke to the Ghana News
Agency called for inclusive education on laws that protect children.
YBF is a youth focused Non-Governmental
Organization committed to youth development in Ghana.
It has the mandate of creating supportive
platforms to challenge the creativity of the youth, and to make available
critical information and resources needed for their total development.
As a youth focused group, it has the vision of
equipping the youth with appropriate information, platforms and resources that
would enhance their physical, mental and socio-economic well-being and further
help develop them into responsible adults.
GNA