Child Protection in Focus: SCA’s School Visits in Kumasi

In commemoration of the 2023 International Day for Street Children on April 12th. Safe-Child Advocacy (SCA) as part of its activities has dedicated the month of March for education and awareness campaign in 10 selected public and private schools in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The aim of this campaign is to promote child rights and equal opportunities for all children, by educating pupils on their rights and responsibilities. The team also raised awareness on child abuse and the necessary steps to take towards child safeguarding and protection, to ensure that the rights of children are not violated or ignored.

During our visits to Aburaso Methodist Junior High School and St. Louis Jubilee School on the 8th and 10th of March 2023 respectively, we educated pupils on their rights and responsibilities, created awareness on what constitutes abuse, effects of child abuse, signs and symptoms of abuse, where to seek support or redress when abused etc., and outlined the necessary steps to take in reporting cases of abuse. Additionally, we educated pupils on the need for protection of the rights of the child, whose responsibility is it to protect and safeguard the rights of children to ensure their growth and promote their well-being etc. and provided pupils with helplines to call in case of an emergency or to report any case of abuse.
Pupils from the various schools actively engaged in the discussions and followed up with a wide range of questions which the team provided answers to. Also, the team seized the opportunity to inquire from the school authorities the availability of a Child Protection Policy in the schools and its implementation in promoting the well-being of the pupils in their schools. The team further informed authorities of the availability of SCA to facilitate the process to enable them draw up their own policy if they do not have. Our hope is that this campaign will promote child rights and help ensure the safety and protection of children in Kumasi.