The Northern Region Office of the Department of Children, with support from the Christian Children’s’ Fund of Canada (CCFC), has inaugurated child protection committees in nine Districts and Municipalities within the Northern and Upper East Regions.
The committees are to ensure that children are treated with utmost care, and in an environment free from abuse, violence, neglect and exploitation.
The 25-member committee was trained on child protection community facilitation toolkit.
The toolkit was developed as part of the implementation of the child and family welfare policy, and designed to engage communities on behavioural change towards child protection.
Mr Sanday Iddrisu, the Northern Regional Director of the Department of Children, said the establishment of child protection committees was part of the children’s Act 1998, Act 560.
He said it was the responsibility of district assemblies to create as many as possible, child panels within their jurisdiction.
He, however, noted that the existing ones were ineffective which compelled them to resort to services of Child Protection Committees.
The trained committee members were given an advocacy task in handling child protection cases as and when they happen and are expected to meet quarterly to plan.
