Ghana’s child protection system failing children despite laws and policies – ARK Foundation

Dr Angela Dwamena Aboagye, Executive Director of the ARK Foundation, has expressed concern that Ghana's child protection system is failing children despite the presence of laws, policies, and systems to safeguard their rights and welfare. In an interview on the Joy FM Super Morning Show, she attributed this failure to the loss of a coordinated approach at the district and community levels.

The latest documentary, "Hands That Hurt, Hands That Heal," by JoyNews-SOS Children’s Villages Ghana, revealed gaps in Ghana's child protection system, including issues of child abuse, exploitation, survival, and access to education. Dr Aboagye acknowledged that Ghana has strengthened its legal and policy framework over the years, but she believes this has not resulted in sufficient support and protection for children at the community level.

She emphasized that child protection cannot be effectively addressed through isolated interventions, as it involves multiple interconnected areas of children's welfare. She cited the documentary's examination of more than just child exploitation, including abuse, survival, and education, as evidence of the multifaceted nature of child protection challenges.

The Children's Act had aimed to decentralize child protection to the district level, but Dr Aboagye noted that this policy direction was not always followed. She recalled the active role of the Ghana National Commission on Children in the past, which worked with assemblies and communities to raise awareness about child protection.

She stressed the importance of sensitizing local authorities and communities about child protection challenges, noting that this does not necessarily require large amounts of money. Instead, it hinges on raising awareness and applying limited resources effectively. Dr Aboagye also expressed concern about the extensive responsibilities assigned to the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, which oversees numerous departments, including women's affairs, gender equality, child survival and protection, social protection, disability, and mental health.

She believed that spreading responsibility too thin could lead to gaps in addressing children's needs.