The Department of Social Welfare and Community Development, in collaboration with Ghana Education Service (Girl – Child Education Unit) with support from UNICEF-Ghana under the Integrated Social Services (ISS) delivery program worked together in sensitizing ten (10) communities/schools on Child Protection Issues in the AJUMAKO-ENYAN-ESSIAM DISTRICT.
The objective of the program is to empower children and families to better understand abusive, Adolescent Health, Teenage Pregnancy and Defilement situations and make choices to prevent and respond to situations of risk.
They engaged school children and community members with participatory methods for social mobilization and change for child protection, using tools and exercises.
Topics treated include Teenage Pregnancy, Child Abuse, Defilement and Adolescent Health.
Communities that were captured on the program are: Kokoben, Ofabir, Atwereboanda, Ochiso, Onyadze, Okokodo, and Baa. Whiles the schools visited are Essiam Catholic A & B, Mando D/A & Methodist Basic, Denkyira D/A A&B, and Enyan Maim Islamic Basic.
Other communities shall be covered by mid-year 2022.
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In a statement by The District Social Welfare Officer, Mr ANIS MOGTARI, ‘All children, regardless of race, location, gender or age have the right to be protected from all forms of violence, abuse and exploitation, anywhere and at any time. It is more prudent to prevent children from being abused than trying to respond when they have already been abused since the effects are often very detrimental to their self-esteem, overall potential, health and development. It is more cost effective to prevent than to respond to child abuse’.
