Accra: The INNORIGHTS Ghana LBG has applauded the government's intervention to rescue children from the streets of Accra. They expressed hope that the intervention would be carried out within human rights-based frameworks to protect the rights and dignity of vulnerable children.
According to Ghana News Agency, 1,332 children, comprising 961 girls and 1,280 boys, have so far been rescued in the campaign under the auspices of the Ministry of Interior, Mr. Peter Boateng, the Executive Director of INNORIGHTS, stated. Speaking in an interview in Sunyani, Mr. Boateng said the bold move by the government aligns with the spirit and principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC), and the Children's Act of Ghana (Act 560).
Mr. Boateng described the campaign as laudable and urged the government to tackle root causes of child streetism and alms begging, such as poverty, trafficking, broken family systems, and ineffective social support structures. These challenges presumably push children onto the streets, and many become victims of trafficking or exploitation to support adults with various deformities.
The government has taken a bold step, Mr. Boateng stated, but the fight against child exploitation and streetism requires a united national front driven by a shared commitment to child protection. He called on stakeholders, including civil society, religious bodies, traditional leaders, the media, and the private sector, to support the government's initiative by providing resources and rehabilitation opportunities for vulnerable children.
Mr. Boateng urged the government and implementing agencies to uphold the dignity of these children by ensuring their rights to education, shelter, family care, psychological support, and social reintegration are respected and fulfilled. He cautioned against approaches that criminalize victims of neglect and exploitation, advocating instead for a collaborative approach to create a child-friendly nation where every child can thrive in dignity, safety, and hope.
