Do not call children ‘ugly and useless’ – Child activists urge parents

Advocates for the Rights of Children have underscored the significance of parents and guardians managing their emotions and abstaining from using derogatory language when addressing issues concerning children and People with Disabilities (PWDs).They highlighted the effects of prevalence of child abuse, neglect, violence and mistreatment to children which was often correlated with unchecked tempers.The frequent use of harsh and demeaning words such as 'useless or senseless child, clueless, timid, ugly, 'Toke', 'belebele' (imbecile)' and expressions like 'I have regretted giving birth to a foolish child like you,' are abuses that affected the emotional development of children.This counsel was re-echoed by Ms Yvonne A. Kwarah, Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese (AAK) District Director of Social Welfare and Community Development.Others are Ms Gladys Hannah Oppon, Deputy Director of Nursing Services at the Ghana Health Service (GHS) in AAK and Madam Dorcas Tandoh, AAK District Director of the Commission on Human Right s and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ).These sentiments were conveyed during a child rights advocacy event focusing on Child Marriages held at Abeka, near Asebu in the AAK District.The event was arranged by the Central Region office of the Center for National Culture (CNC) with support from UNICEF and other partners.Miss Kwarah emphasised that many parents still resorted to abuse and degradation as a form of discipline, unaware of the detrimental impact on a child's self-esteem and overall emotional well-being.She said research has indicated that children subjected to verbal abuse would have their relations and mental health negatively impacted and were more inclined to seek external validation as adults.Therefore, she urged parents to embrace positive discipline strategies that foster respect and understanding, nurturing healthier emotional development in their children.From the GHS perspective, Miss Oppon stated the importance of breaking the cycle of verbal abuse to cultivate confident and resili ent future generations.She attributed the escalating levels of indiscipline among children to inadequate parental supervision and excessive pampering.When parents lose control, they unleash their frustrations on their children through negative verbal outbursts, which she identified as a violation of children's rights.She encouraged parents to actively engage in providing reproductive health education to their children as a preventive measure against teenage pregnancies and child marriages.Madam Tandoh highlighted the significance of open and honest dialogues about sexual health within families.She stressed that many young individuals lacked accurate information about sexual health, leaving them vulnerable to make uninformed decisions with unforeseen consequences.'Parents are the primary educators of their children and it is crucial that they guide them on matters of sexual health.'By educating their children on the risks and responsibilities associated with sexual activity, parents can empower t hem to make informed choices and safeguard their futures,' she remarked.Source: Ghana News Agency