National Children's Day

the role of Community-based structures in child protection.

by Bridget Owusu Mahoney

National Children's Day Banner Image

Children by their nature are vulnerable and require the help and support of adults to grow and develop well. Right from conception throughout gestation to their birth and nurturing, children cannot survive nor thrive without the constant help of a significant adult. They are feeble and frail, and when left unattended to marks the beginning of many social problems in our current society. The state of a child can be likened to tending for a plant; without continuous work on plants and a calculated effort to ward-off insects and pests, one’s plant will not turn out as expected.

Today, August 30, 2021, is the commemoration of 2021 National Children’s Day and the theme for this year’s celebration is to create awareness on the role of community-based structures in child protection. What this year’s celebration seeks to achieve is to make the public aware of what systems and structures are in place and their roles in dealing with child protection.

Ghana is fortunately blessed with community-based structures like the family, schools, police, district assemblies, district social welfare offices, community-based organizations, district courts (family tribunals), child welfare committees, and a host of others existing to help address child protection issues. As the dialogue continues throughout today, whenever, one is faced with an issue regarding a child especially during this era of Covid-19, contact any of the listed institutions and organizations to promote the best interest of the child. It is said in Ghana, that “our children, are our future”, therefore when we come together as a people to protect our children, we would be certain of a brighter future!

Let us pledge ourselves, that together we will protect Ghanaian children.