Children must live in peaceful environment — Int. Needs
International Needs Ghana has educated communities in the Effutu Municipality on the need to ensure that children live in a harmless and peaceful environment.
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Parents were encouraged to create a conducive environment for their children to enable them to develop because very often, it was through parental negligence that children suffered unduly.
The education programme which was organised for seven communities included interaction with schoolchildren and policy makers to discuss how problems which affected children in those communities could be addressed.
Communities which benefited in the programme included Atekyedo, Gyangyanadzie, Ateitu, Osubonpanyin, Penkye, New Winneba and Akosua Village.
The programme which was part of a project aimed at Promoting an Enhanced, Safe and Protective Environment for Children (PESPEC), was funded by the European Union.
Speaking at the gathering, the Research and Documentation Manager of International Needs Ghana, Madam Patience Vormawor, stated that the meeting was part of the Violence Against Women’s Day celebration which was recently celebrated worldwide.
The Youth Director of the National Youth Authority (NYA), Mr Emmanuel Martey said teenage pregnancy was increasingly becoming a serious problem in the communities and asked all community members to come together to help address it.
He pointed out that most of the girls engaged in sexual activities with men for money, stressing that some parents usually shirked their responsibilities and did not provide for their children.
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According to him, the NYA organised advocacy programmes to sensitise children on such issues and added that ‘’it takes the leaders, assembly members, chiefs and people in the community to start such education programmes before the government comes in to assist.’’
Some of the children at the function said they often had to engage in sand-winning activities in order to make some money for their upkeep.
The Assistant Director of the Effutu Municipality, Mr Yaw Kanjo, pointed out that most parents abused their children indirectly.
He explained that when a parent sent a child to buy alcohol or cigarette it was a form of child abuse, adding that in a way, parents were making those children to do likewise in future.
Mr Kanjo further advised students to study seriously since that was a guaranteed way to success.