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Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s
Report – 2007
August 2007
Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
Country’s Name Republic of Ghana
Ministries in Charge of Children Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs
issues
Address: P .O. Box MBO 186, Ministries- Accra
Tel: + 233-21- 688184
Fax: + 233-21- 688182
E-mail: None
Other Ministries dealing with Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education,
issues related to children Science and Sports, Ministry of
Manpower, Youth and Employment,
Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Interior
Structure mandated to follow-up MOWAC
on the implementation of action
plans for children Department of Children
Regional Offices
District Assemblies
Address: P. O. Box M273, Accra
Tel: 233-21-223425
Fax: 233-21-225297
E-mail: Non
Date 22nd August, 2007
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Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgment
1.0 Background 1
2.0 PART I: Initiatives Taken in Safeguarding the Best Interest of
the Child in all Development Matters 3
3.0 PART II: Declaration and Plan of Action 8
4.0 PART III: Report on Achievements with regard to the
African Common Position - Africa Fit For Children 10
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Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
LIST OF TABLES
Table A: Initiatives Taken in Safeguarding the Best Interest of
the Child in all Development Matters 3
Table B: Child Resource Allocation by Area and Year 2002-2006 9
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Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
1.0 BACKGROUND
1. In preparation for the UN General Assembly’s Special Session on Children in
September of 2001, the OAU decided their contribution to the Session would
take the form of the African Common Position on Children. In order to fulfill
this task, a draft of the African Common Position was written with the help
of UN agencies, regional and national NGOs as well as other stakeholders.
Following a request for more information by the April 2001 Session of the
OAU Labour and Social Affairs Commission, the draft was adopted by the
Pan-African Forum on the Future of Children in May 2001 and endorsed by
the 7th Session of the OAU Council of Ministers and the 37th Assembly of
Heads of State and Government in July 2001.
2. The African Common Position is composed of a Declaration and a Plan of
Action. The Declaration recognizes the future of Africa lies in the children
and states the responsibility of Member States to help children realize their
full rights. In addition, a commitment to African’s children is established
within the Declaration.
3. The Plan of Action provides guidelines and objectives to be achieved
through mechanisms to be decided upon in each Member State according to
necessity. The areas given priority in the Plan of Action include: a
framework for realizing the rights of children in each state through National
Plan of Action, enhancing life opportunities, overcoming HIV/AIDS, realizing
the right to education and protection(pro-legal; anti-abuse, violence and
exploitation) and participation of youth and children. Furthermore, steps
are outlined for international partnerships to achieve these goals and modes
of implementation are provided for the national, regional and continental
levels.
4. Six years after the establishment of the African Common Position, African
States are being asked to account for the promises they made. This report
seeks to answer the subsequent questions concerning Ghana’s progress
toward the fulfillment of the goals outlined in a World Fit For Children, the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the African Fit For Children Plan
of Action for growth and prosperity. The report will answer questions in
three main categories: Initiatives taken in safeguarding the Best Interest of
the Child in all Development regarding the African Common Position – Africa
Fit For Children.
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Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
5. While the first category is self explanatory in name, the category of
Declaration and Plan of Action focuses on the steps taken to implement the
African Common Position in Ghana. The third category then answers
questions relating to six subcategories: enhancing the life chances,
overcoming HIV/AIDS, realizing the right to education, realizing the right to
protection, participation of youth and children, and other actions. The
following answers are a comprehensive report as to the condition of Ghana
in regards to the rights of the child as outlined in the African Common
Position.
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Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
2.0 PART I: Initiatives Taken in Safeguarding the Best Interest of The
Child in all Development Matters
6. A number of initiatives have been taken to protect children and ensure their
best interests. These include ratification and implementation of
international protocols such as the CRC, and RACRWC etc. Steps have also
been taken to improve legislation and strengthen institutions to improve
child protection and rights promotion.
7. Table A indicates some of the initiatives taken in Safeguarding the Best
Interest of The Child in all Development Matters
Table A: Initiatives Taken in Safeguarding the Best Interest of The Child in
all Development Matters
Actions required Examples Country Status
1. Ratify the African African Charter on the Rights Ghana ratified the African Charter on the
Charter on the Rights and welfare of the Child Rights and welfare of the Child in 2005.
and Welfare of the Ghana’s first report to the A??? is being
Child compiled.
2. Implement the Children’s Act The Government of Ghana passed Act 560,
provisions of the the Children’s Act, in 1998 to protect
Charter children’s rights.
Child Protection Act Act 560 has provisions on all issues
pertaining to the rights and welfare of
children and so serves as a Child Protection
Act
Labour Laws etc Act 560 protects children from all forms of
exploitative labour. Ghana has also passed
a Human Trafficking Act (Act 694) for the
prevention, reduction and punishment of
human trafficking, for the rehabilitation
and reintegration of trafficked persons and
related matters. The Act was passed on
5th December 2005.
3. Accede to or ratify UN Convention on the Ghana ratified in 1990, the first country to
other regional and Rights of the Child do so
international
instruments on The Palermo Protocol This has been laid before Parliament and
children soon to be ratified.
The Optional Protocol to Ghana has not ratified the Optional
the Convention on the Rights of Protocol to the Convention on the Rights
the Child on the Sale of of the Child on the Sale of Children,
Children, Child Prostitution and Child Prostitution and Child Pornography.
Child Pornography
The Optional Protocol to the The Optional Protocol to the CRC on
Convention on the Rights of the Children in armed conflict has been laid
Child on the Involvement of before parliament but still awaiting
Children in Armed Conflicts. ratification
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Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
The ILO Convention No.182 182 Ghana has ratified the ILO Convention
concerning the Prohibition and No.182 concerning the Prohibition and
Immediate Action for the Immediate Action for the Elimination of the
Elimination of the Worst Forms Worst Forms of Child Labour.
of Child Labour etc.
4. Legislate and Children’s Act Passed a children’s Act in 1998
domesticate
Child Protection Act Ghana has no Child Protection Act
international
specifically, but has a Children’s Act that
instruments into
has all the relevant provisions for child
National Legislations
protection
Labour Laws translating into The Children’s Act (Act 560) and The
concrete actions the ILO Human Trafficking Act (Act 694) jointly
Convention no.182 on the worst provide for the protection of children from
form of labour etc. trafficking and other worst forms of child
labour and exploitation
5. Reporting on Initial report will be submitted Ghana ratified in 2005 and by regulation,
Implementation of by December 2007 expected to submit its first report in 2007.
the African Charter Processes for the compilation of Ghana’s
on the Rights and initial report are on-going to ensure
Welfare of the Child submission in December 2007
6. Provide Institutional Establishment of Ministry for In February 2001, The Ministry of Women
responses/ Children’s Affairs and Children’s Affairs (MOWAC) was
programmes to established. MOWAC has two main
address Children’s Departments; one for women and the other
problems for children. Each Department has regional
offices in the all the ten administrative
regions in Ghana. MOWAC has Cabinet
status.
Children’s Desk at the Ministry Information not available at the time of
of Health or Gender compilation
National Children’s Council Ghana had a Children’s Commission, which
has been changed to a Department for
Children
Ombudsperson for children’s There is no Ombudsperson for Children’s
Office Office but a Commission on Human Rights
and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ). CHRAJ
had a specific department dealing with
child rights but the department no longer
exists; its activities are now mainstreamed
in the various functions of the institution.
CHRAJ receives individual complaints on
child-related matters.
Complaints filed with CHRAJ are
categorized as administrative justice,
family related issues and general basic
human rights. Children’s issues feature
dominantly in family- related complaints.
These are usually about child/spousal
maintenance, paternity and socio-economic
rights mostly health and educational rights.
However, since there is no separate
department or desk that handles these
complaints, data is not disaggregated. Such
information is only collated when the
Commission undertakes specialized case-
related research about abuse of children.
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Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
Children’s Parliament, This has been proposed but not yet
materialised
Children’s hospital etc. There is a Children’s Hospital in Accra but
most health facilities have Mother and
Child Health Unit (MCH)
Social Protection issues for Ghana has established Multi-Sectoral
children etc. Committees on Child Protection (MSCCP).
The MCSSP is an inter-agency and
multidisciplinary group of child-rights
advocates. The committees identify,
discuss and in a collaborative manner,
prescribe suitable remedies to topical and
emerging child-related concerns. The
national committee is under the
Chairmanship of the Chief Justice and its
activities are coordinated by the
Department of Children. Regional and
District Committees are yet to be
constituted.
Special Police Units to handle Women and Juvenile Unit (WAJU) was first
issues involving children established in October 1998 in Accra.
Currently, the Unit is referred to as the
Domestic Violence Victim Support Unit
(DOVVSU), and has been opened in all ten
administrative regions of the country.
DOVVSU is a unique Police unit and the first
of its kind in West Africa. The DOVVSU
offices are not new Police Stations but
serve as information, support and co-
ordination centres apart from providing
basic counter services supported by a team
of civilians support staff, made of clinical
psychologists, social workers, counsellors,
legal advisers. WAJU is mandated by the
Police Administration to work with
Federacion Internacional De Abogadas
(FIDA), Commission for Human Rights and
Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Legal Aid
Board, and other stakeholders. The main
objectives of WAJU are to prevent,
protect, investigate and prosecute crimes
against women and children.
Special Children’s Courts There are no special children’s courts in
Ghana but there are Family Tribunals iin
almost every Regional capital
7. Take Measures to Multi-Media Coverage of In Ghana, both the electronic and print
empower the NGOs, children’s issues media, covers range of issues relating to
Community-based child protection and development.
Orgnisations, Faith Between 2001 and 2007, the numbers of
based organisations multi-media channels have increased
as well as the Civil tremendously. In 2003, there were about
Society on child’s 50 FM Stations, now the number stands at
rights/child welfare 1201. The number of TV stations, and
issues organisations providing ICT services have
also increased.
1
In 2003, 150 FM stations had been registered and 120 were in operation.
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Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
Workshops, seminars and Between 2001 and 2007, many national,
awareness raising campaigns regional, district and community
conducted at local levels; dissemination programmes on child rights
have been held through a cross section of
stakeholders and civil society groups. Some
of the stakeholders have included DSW,
FIDA, GNCRC, DOVVSU, Children/Youth
groups (CURIOUS MINDS), Women in
Broadcasting (WIB), National Commission
for Civic Education (NCCE), CHRAJ and the
Women’s Department. A lot of media
programmes, both in the print and
electronic, have been undertaken to make
child rights widely known to children
Conduct of training sessions on The government and its partners have
identifying OVCs etc. organised a number of workshops to
strengthen the capacities of child-rights
adovocates, implementors, and service
providers to identify OVCs and other
children in extremely difficult
circumstances. In 2005, National Policy
Guidelines on Orphans and Other Children
Made Vulnerable by HIV/AIDS were
developed in 2005. The Policy came into
force in January 2005. It was developed as
a joint effort of the GAC, MOWAC and
MMYE. The Policy Guidelines seek to
provide a framework to ensure that the
rights of orphans and vulnerable children
are respected, protected and fulfilled
inline with the Convention on the Rights of
the Children (CRC) and other legal
instruments.
8. Conduct Outreach Carry forward an inclusive child Outreach Programmes related to the
Programmes in hard agenda in remote areas health, education and social welfare are
to reach areas conducted in hard to reach areas by
government and non-governmental
agencies
Introduce child mentoring Same as above
programmes, food programme,
basic literacy/numeracy
programmes, birth registration
etc.
9. Plan and make good Multi sectoral programming for Information not available at the time of
use of aids from multi-level benefits and taking compilation
Donors and Partners advantage of other mechanisms
eg PRSPs, MDGs, etc to
integrate children’s rights and
issues
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Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
Networking to avoid wastage of Steps have been taken to avoid wastage of
resources, duplication of work resources and duplication of work and
and Donor Fatigue donor fatigue. For instance, most
Government Ministries, Departments and
Agencies are restricted from sourcing
funding from donors without seeking
approval from their mother Ministry and
sometimes from the Ministry of Finance and
Economic Planning
Coordinating and setting up of Most government MDAs have Monitoring
viable follow-up mechanism to Units/Divisions to do follow-ups and
ensure timely monitoring, monitor programmes and projects
evaluation and reporting undertaken
10. Set up appropriate Children’s Desk at the Central Attempts have been made to improve
mechanism for the Statistical Office statistics on children and increasingly, the
collection of government ministries and agencies
disaggregated data responsible for various issues of vulnerable
for analysis and groups, particularly the Ministry of Women
applied research in and Children’s Affairs, Ministry of
child’s rights and Manpower-Youth and Employment, Ministry
child welfare of Education Science and Sports, Ministry of
Health and CHRAJ have all improved their
data management capacities. In spite of
the existing gaps, it is evident that a lot of
gains have been made from a decade
before. The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS)
has also increased its collaboration with
MDAs working with vulnerable groups to
harmonise research methodologies and also
encourage comprehensive reliable data
approaches for national development
Statistical and Research The Ministry presently relies on the
Department at the Ministry for research units of its two departments.
Children’s Affairs Plans are far advanced to set up a PPME
Unit at the Ministry
Observatory on the Rights of There is a National Strategy in place fro the
the child at national/regional monitoring of the implementation of the
level to evaluate data; identify rights of children. In addition, child
examples of best practices in related laws have been harmonised and
child’s rights/ welfare and made into the Children’s Act, which is
ensure their appropriate based on the Principles of the Convention
domestication on the Rights of the Child and the African
Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the
Child
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Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
3.0 PART II: Declaration and Plan of Action
8. This part of report focuses on steps and measures taken by States Parties to
implement the Declaration and Plan of Action for the survival, protection
and development of children. Ghana holds strongly to its international
commitments and in all matters that relates to child rights promotion. The
immediate actions taken at national level to implement the Declaration and
Plan of Action were to popularize and make the plan known. The DOC, then
Ghana Commission on Children held Regional Dissemination workshops in
the country. Participants of these fora were representatives of MDAs and
CSOs including NGOs and the media, Faith-Based Organisations (FBO), and
children.
9. Ghana already had a national strategy in place in place to implement the
action plan. A Ministry in charge of Women and Children had already been
established with Regional offices throughout the country. At the local
level, there were 110 District Assemblies spread across the length and
2
width of the country. New institutions, such as the WAJU and GAC were
established while other institutions that had administrative lapses were
strengthened.
10. A national plan of action dubbed “A Ghana Fit For Children” is being
finalized. The NPA spans a ten-year period beginning from 2005 to 2014.
The document covers all areas of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
as well as the objectives and goals of the WFFC. The NPA also recognizes
and takes into account other international and regional conventions and
protocols, which Ghana is signatory to and action plans of child-focused
MDAs. The specific objectives of the NPA are as follows:
Provide all children in Ghana quality education;
Protect children against abuse, exploitation and violence;
Combat HIV/AIDS and other STI’s and address the needs of OVCs;
Enhance Children’s Participation in issues that affect them; and
Promote the healthy life of all children in Ghana.
11. The plan is still going through review processes, and not been utilized (at
the moment) in the formulation and implementation of programmes,
policies and other child-related projects.
2
There are 138 Districts in Ghana presently.
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Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
12. The Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy includes child-related
activities. It has a section, which focuses specifically on the Vulnerable and
Excluded.
13. In terms of expenditure in Ghana, sectors that cater mostly for children’s
activities are Education, Health, Manpower, Youth and Employment, Women
and Children’s Affairs and the Ministry of Interior. Between 2002 and 2007,
there has been a significant increase in national budget for child-related
service delivery in education, health, water and sanitation. Children’s
related expenditures are grouped into education, health, child protection
and youth skills training and employment. The total expenditure for
children for the period 2002-2006 amounted to ¢17,710.2 billion as budget
and ¢17,747.0 billion as actual expenditure. With the health sector, the
expenditure could not be disaggregated into children and non-children
expenditures. (Table B).
Table: B. Child Resource Allocation by Area and Year 2002-2006
Sector 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Total
Budget Actual Budget Actual Budget Actual Budget Actual Budget Actual Budget Actual
Education 1,498.3 1,959.9 2,574.3 2,507.5 3,120.9 2,965.8 4,241.0 4,716.4 5,857.0 5,204.7 17,291. 17,354.
4 3
Health 21.8 15.4 16.2 32.8 36.2 40.6 47.0 53.3 91.2 112.0 212.4 254.1
Child 8.1 2.0 13.9 2.8 19.1 4.6 20.6 17.0 23.7 18.8 85.4 45.1
Protection
Youth 6.9 8.8 22.1 17.0 31.0 23.0 31.8 21.5 29.2 23.2 121.0 93.5
Trng/Empt
Total 1,535.1 1,986.1 2,626.5 2,560.0 3,207.1 3,034.0 4,340.4 4,808.2 6,001.1 5,358.7 17,710. 17,747.
2 0
Nominal 46875 47764 60705 65262 77620 79803. 96319 97018 112320 114903
GDP 7 .9
Tot 3.3% 4.2% 4.3% 3.9% 4.1% 3.8% 4.5% 5.0% 5.3% 4.7
Exp/GDP
Source: Controller and Accountant General’s Department (CAGD)3,
November 2006.
14. Funds are also mobilized from development partners to supplement the
national budget and this has worked in the promotion and implementation
of child rights in the country.
3
Reported Jan – Nov 2006 Actual expenditures have been annualized to obtain Jan – Dec. 2006
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Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
4.0 PART III: Report on Achievements with regard to the African Common
Position Africa Fit For Children
Recommended Actions Indicators Results Constraints
Areas (Indicative not Achieved Encounter
exhaustive) ed/
Other
comments
1. Enhancing the A. Provide assistance 1. Policies, laws, Ghana does not make direct
life chances and protection of budget budgetary allocations on the
family units and the allocated to family. Allocations for family
Objective: extended family support family issues are, however, made to
to ensure that system (social benefit) the sectors whose work
every child in involve families, e.g.
Africa has a good MOWAC, Education, Health
start in life, and and Social Welfare.
to grow and
develop in child
friendly, nurturing
environment of
love, acceptance,
peace, security
and dignity
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Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
B. Ensure proper 1. Existence of The Non-Formal Education
growth and adult literacy Department of the GES has a
development of programme programme on Adult
children through Literacy. The programme is
provision of designed for out-of-school
education, and youth and adults. At present
information to its program focus is the co-
families, caregivers ordination and
and the community implementation of the
on health, early National Functional Literacy
childhood care and Project (NLFP), which aims to
development increase the basic literacy
services, and skills for adults and youth,
nutrition nationally, with particular
focus on females and the
rural poor. The key Education
Strategic Plan (ESP) target
for the NFE sector is to
achieve a decrease in the
national rate of adult literacy
and to improve the gender
parity of literate adults. In
2004, 696,177 learners had
been recruited into the NFLP,
in 2005, 300,000 new
learners were recruited.
Over 700,000 inputs are
distributed to learners;
including pencils, exercise
books, prmers,
supplementary readers etc,
with incentive packages
provided for 7,500
facilitators annually. The
target for adult literacy is
64.5% by the end of 20074.
2. Adult literacy Year Rate
rate5 2003/04 53.4
2004/05 53.7
2005/06 60.3
2006/07 61.7
4
Preliminary Education Sector Performance Report 2007.
5
Ibid
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Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
3. Rate of assisted The rate of supervised
child birth6 deliveries increased from
37.8% in 2004 to 40.3% in
2005 and to 44.5% in 2006.
This increase could be
attributed to the free
delivery policy. However,
regional disaggregated data
showed mixed results for the
year. Unfortunately, there
are some bottlenecks in the
flow of funds for exemptions
but the sector is gradually
rolling the exemptions to
Health Insurance
4. Malnutrition Y = Year
rate for S = Stunting
children under W = Wasting
five7 U = Underweight
Y S W U
1998 26 10 25
2003 30 7 25
5. Infant and child I = Infant mortality
mortality rates8 C = Child mortality
U = U-5 mortality
Y I C U
1998 57 54 108
2003 64 50 111
2006 71 - 111
6
DHS 2003 and Annual Report 2004 of Reproductive and Child Health Unit.
7
DHS 1998 and 2003.
8
DHS 1998 DHS 2003 and MICS 2006.
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Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
C. Intensify 1. Existence of Ghana developed a five-year
immunization Measles and rolling plan of accelerated
programmes to meet polio control of measles in
the set goals on immunization accordance with the
immunization. programmes WHO/AFRO EPI 5-year
Expand National strategic plan (2001-2005),
Immunization Days with a focus on reducing
to include services measles
for mothers to allow mortality to near zero. The
them to take care of plan included:
their own health sustaining increases in
together with that of the first dose coverage at
the children 9 months to 90%
a mass vaccination
campaign targeting all
children 9 months to 14
years
introduction of the case
based measles
surveillance with
laboratory confirmation
improved cases
management with
administration of vitamin
A, and
integration into Vitamin
‘A’ into routine
immunization. Measles9
has been a major vaccine
preventable disease with
yearly reported cases of
15,000 to 20,000 in
Ghana.
The success of the campaign
has been very effective as a
large number of children are
now protected. This is
expected to lead towards the
achievement of the global
goal of reducing
measles related deaths by
half by 2005.
9
http;//www.who.int/countries/gha/publications/measles_document.pdf
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Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
2. Current rate of As by the guidelines on child
immunization immunization, children
should receive some
specified vaccinations by age
12 months. The routine
childhood immunization
Expanded Programme on
Immunization (EPI)
programme continues to
improve, with DPT3 coverage
of 81 percent (MICS 2006). In
all, about 64 percent of
children aged 12 - 23 months
have received all the
required vaccinations before
their first birthday; the MICS
2006 also established that
children from wealthier
households are more likely to
have all the necessary
vaccinations
3. Programme on The family planning acceptor
family care rate increased from 22.6% in
2005 to 25.4% in 2006. The
CYP for long and short
methods were 276,904 and
616,049 respectively,
bringing the total to 892,953,
an increase as compared to
804,457 in 2005.
4. Number of Women who registered for
women Ante-natal in 2006 were
benefiting from 761,166 representing 88.4%.
ante and post- The national policy
natal recommends a minimum of 4
consultations antenatal visits but the
average visits recorded for
2006 was 3.3. Improved
information, education and
appropriate documentation
in health facilities are
expected to contribute in
achieving the minimum
requirement of 4 visits.
The current postnatal care
coverage is 53.7% for 2006 as
compared to 55% in 2005.
Home visits for postnatal
care is being promoted to
address the decrease in
coverage.
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Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
5. Existing Information not available at
cooperation the time of compilation
with partners
such as WHO,
UNICEF etc. in
the field of
immunization
D. Increase national 1. Budget Information not available at
budgetary allocation allocated to the time of compilation
to the health sector primary health
particularly to the care
primary health care
sector. Governments
shall commit
themselves to
mobilize domestic
and external
resources including
sensitizing
communities to
establish special
health funds in order
to restore the weak
or collapsed health
services in their
respective countries
E. Expand primary 1. Current rate of Antenatal coverage has
health care to antenatal care remained fairly stable over
include reproductive the past three years. The
health services, safe antenatal care coverage is
delivery units and 88.4% for 2006 as compared
antenatal and to 88.7% in 2005 this is due to
postnatal care and the reduction in double
focus on reduction registration and the
of maternal and continuous under
neonatal mortality performance of the Greater
and morbidity. Accra and the Ashanti
Develop new training regions. A new register has
programmes for been introduced and
primary health care distributed to all regions, and
providers in order to it is expected to improve
make these services data capturing and increase
possible coverage.
2. Current rate of
The current postnatal care
postnatal care
coverage is 53.7% for 2006 as
compared to 55% in 2005.
Home visits for postnatal
care is being promoted to
address the decrease in
coverage.
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Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
3. Current rate of The current maternal
maternal Mortality ratio is not
mortality and known. However,
neo-natal institutional maternal
mortality ratio, which
measures maternal deaths
occurring in health facilities,
decreased from 197 per
100,000 live births in 2005 to
187 per 100,000 live births in
2006. Although the
proportion of maternal
deaths that were audited
decreased from 76.6% in 2005
to 58.2% in 2006, evidence
from the field suggest that
there has been an
improvement in the quality
of maternal death audit
within the past year
4. Rate of Information not available at
maternal the time of compilation
morbidity and
neo-natal
5. Existing Training programmes were
training organized in the various
programme for regions from the 1st – 15th of
health care July 2006 for various
providers categories of health workers
involved in maternal death
audit.
6. Budget Refer to Table B
allocated to
health
F. Integrate 1. Deaths due to Information not available at
programmes for HIV/AIDS the time of compilation
HIV/AIDS,
Tuberculosis,
hepatitis and other
infectious diseases in
primary health care
services, in
particular the
prevention of
mother to child
HIV/AIDS
transmission
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Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
2. Current HIV counseling and testing is
programme on now being offered routinely
mother-to-child at antenatal clinics providing
transmission of PMTCT services, facilities
HIV/AIDS with trained service providers
are 327 in number with
36,155 mothers counselled
and tested during antenatal
care as compared to 20,295
in 2005. Mothers with HIV
positive were 1378 in
number.
46 hospitals are currently
providing antiretroviral
therapy services for HIV
positive clients.
Number of 327
Facilities with
Trained Service
Providers
Number of ANC 36,155
Clients accessing
Counseling and
Testing
Positivity Rate 3.8%
among Women
Tested
Number on ART 1239
Number HIV+ 1378
3. Deaths due to Tuberculosis cure rare has
tuberculosis, improved fro 64.3% in 2004 to
hepatitis and 67.7% in 2005. 32 districts
other infectious are currently implementing
diseases community based Directly
Observed Treatments (DOTS)
G. Implement the 2000 1. Current rate of Malaria is the leading cause
Abuja Declaration malaria in the of morbidity in Ghana and is
and Plan of Action country the single most important
on Roll-Back Malaria cause of mortality among
and observe April children under five years and
25th of each year as pregnant women and is
Africa Malaria responsible for a substantial
Control Day number of miscarriages and
low birth weight among
pregnant women. Though
malaria remains a public
health concern, under-five
malaria case fatality has
declined steadily over the
years 2002-2005 from 3.7% to
2.4%10
10
Ministry of Health, Main Sector Review Report , April 2006
17
Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
2. Existence of The areas of focus for
preventive malaria control have been
programme both curative and preventive
care. Activities focused on
improving case management
of uncomplicated and severe
malaria in all health facilities
and household; focusing on
promoting the use of
Insecticide Treated (bed)
Nets (ITNs), especially by
children and pregnant
women; implementing
Intermittent Preventive
Treatment (IPT) and advising
on environmental
management
3. Existing Information not available at
declaration on the time of compilation
Africa Malaria
Control Day
H. Ensure food security 1. Percentage of Information not available at
of families and population the time of compilation
communities, give under minimum
education and level of dietary
information on energy
timely and consumption
appropriate 2. Number of Information not available at
complementary beneficiaries of the time of compilation
feeding and improve IEC/CC
health care services Nutrition
to reduce 3. Existing Information not available at
malnutrition. community- the time of compilation
Promote community- based
based strategies that programmes to
help in monitoring control the
the nutritional status nutritional
of women and status of
children women and
children
18
Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
I. Strengthen measures 1. Percentage of Currently vitamin A
to eliminate iodine the population supplement is mainly given
deficiency disorders having through mass campaigns as
by the 2005, Vitamin receiving part of National
A deficiency Vitamin A Immunization Days (NIDs) and
disorders and supplement once yearly at Child Health
anaemia by the year Promotion Week (CHPW)
2010 celebrations. Promoting the
consumption of vitamin A
rich foods is on-going.
2 rounds of vitamin A
capsules were distributed to
children 6-59 months.
National coverage of 81% was
achieved in Nov 2006.
Distribution of capsules to
lactating women within 8
weeks after delivery is on-
going. National coverage
from the Demographic and
Health Survey, 2003 was 43%.
2. Percentage of The percentage of
population households using iodised salt
using iodized is 51 percent, but only 32
salt percent is adequately iodised
salt. The likelihood of using
iodised salt was twice as high
in urban as in rural areas11
J. Strengthen measures 1. Action taken to Hygiene education is carried
to increase access to promote out in outreach programmes
safe water and hygiene at all levels (national,
improve sanitation. education in regional and local
Promote hygiene the community communities)
11
Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2006, Preliminary Report 2007.
19
Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
education in schools 2. Percentage of Coverage for rural water has Improving
and in the the population been increasing steadily for coverage
community. Involve having access the past five years. From a for urban
women in the to safe water base of 41 percent in 2000, it water, on
planning, installing increased to 43 percent in the other
and managing water 2001, 46 percent in 2003 and hand, has
and sanitation 51.7 percent at the end of proved a
systems 2004. In 2005, it increased challenge
to 52 percent12. over the
years due
to the fact
that
investment
s have been
made, and
the same
infrastructu
re
continues
to serve an
ever
increasing
urban
population
3. Percentage of With regard to improved
population with sanitation, urban areas
sanitary recorded access of 83
facilities percent while about 50
percent of the rural
population had access to
improved sanitary facilities.
Use of sanitary facilities is
more likely in the more
urbanised regions and where
the head of the household
had some form of education,
according to the MICS data,
households were more likely
to have access to improved
sanitary facilities
12
Community Water and sanitation Agency Coverage Report, 2006.
20
Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
4. Number of In the ESP, the target to be
schools having achieved at the Primary
water and Education level in 2004/05
sanitary was 75.4 percent of schools
facilities having access to toilet
facilities. The achievement
in 2004/05 was about 55.7
percent. There was a high
disparity of 0.15 or 15
percent in the provision of
toilet facilities to the urban,
peri urban and deprived
Districts in 2001. This has
been reduced to 0.1 or 1
percent in 2004/05; 0.16 or
16 percent in 2005/06 and
0.15 or 15 percent in 2006/07
as at 2001/02 level of
disparity.
In the ESP, the target to be
achieved at the Primary
Education level in 2004/05
was 52.3 percent of schools
with access to potable water.
Another target is that 70% of
schools have access to
potable water within 500 m
radius of the school’s
premises by 2008
achievement in 2004/05 was
about 42.8 percent. The
disparity was 0.27 (i.e. 27
percent) in 2001/02 and very
high in 2002/03 (i.e. 0.31 or
31 percent). In 2005/06 the
disparity reduced to 0.1 or 1
percent and further reduced
to 0.07 or 7 percent in
2006/07 showing an improved
bridge of gap in the
distribution.
K. Prepare a code of 1. Status of Information not available at
ethics governing the existing family the time of compilation
behaviour and law
attitudes within
families and the
society
2. Overcoming A. Resort to all 1. Existing HIV/AIDS prevalence appears
HIV/AIDS available means programmes on to be on the decline at 2.7
including ethical, prevention of per cent in 2005. The
moral and HIV/AIDS national prevalence rate (as
Objective: traditional values to measured by the testing of
Africa must prevent HIV/AIDS pregnant women attending
overcome antenatal care) is now at its
HIV/AIDS in order lowest point in the last three
to fulfil children’s years. Among the 15-24 age
rights to survival group, HIV infection has also
21
Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
and development dropped over the last three
years, from 3.5 per cent in
2002 to a low of 1.9 percent
in 2005. However, Ghana’s
comparatively low and stable
number of HIV cases hides
considerable variations by
geographic region, gender
and age. Young people are
playing a crucial role in the
universal effort to stop the
spread of HIV/AIDS and this
steady decline is a significant
sign of hope in Ghana. In
recognition of the severity of
HIV/AIDS and the need to
promote and coordinate a
unified national response,
the Ghana AIDS Commission
(GAC) was established. The
government has since
developed a National
HIV/AIDS and STI Policy to
guide national response and a
national HIV/AIDS Strategic
Framework. A Five year
Strategic Plan of Work (2006-
2010) has been developed
under the leadership of the
GAC. Some of the
programmes carried out to
stop and reverse the spread
of HIV/AIDS and other
sexually transmitted
infection (STIs) include
awareness creation activities,
and educational campaigns in
schools and communities.
Access to treatment for STIs
has also increased through
the provision of adolescent-
friendly health services.
GAC has also provided funds
to campaign against
stigmatisation
22
Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
B. Improve access to 1. Existing Services are provided as an
programmes for programmes to integral part of reproductive
prevention of prevent and child health care. A
mother–to-child mother-to-child programme to prevent
HIV/AIDS HIV/AIDS mother-to-child transmission
transmissions, transmission of HIV/AIDS is being
increase access to implemented by the National
care, support and AIDS Control Programme
treatment for (NACP) of Ministry of Health
infected mothers (MOH). A universal access
and their children scale-up plan for PMTCT for
and share identified the period 2006-2010 has
best practices on been developed and is now
how to reduce being rolled out. It promotes
transmission voluntary counselling and
testing, seeks to improve
delivery services and also
provides counselling on infant
feeding to pregnant women.
An anti-retroviral drug,
Nevirapine, is supplied to HIV
positive women at the onset
of labour and a dose also
given to their infants within
72 hours of delivery to
reduce the rate of
transmission. This has now
changed to combination
therapy.
The Prevention of Mother to
Child Transmission (PMTCT)
programme commenced with
a pilot in 2001 and by end
2006 341 PMTCT sites had
been established. Over
150,000 persons had been
registered, and counselling
had been provided to about
45,000. Thirty-one thousand
mothers had been tested
with a positivity rate of 3.4
percent. Just under a third of
clients registered at PMTCT
are utilising counselling at
antenatal clinics by the end
2005, having increased from
14.2 percent in 2004. Even
less women know their status
and pregnant women and
their families are encouraged
to access HIV testing services
to know their HIV status. As
of June 2006, only 2.9% of
eligible HIV positive children
were receiving ART
nationally. Given that more
than 6,000 children are
eligible for ART, there is still
a challenging gap in the area
of paediatric ART.
23
Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
2. Existing Regional hospitals and some
programmes district hospitals are
and budget currently providing
allocated to antiretroviral therapy
treat infected services for HIV positive
mothers and clients.
children
3. Number of Mothers with HIV positive
pregnant were 1378 in number. The
women HIV positivity rate among
infected by pregnant women tested has
HIV/AIDS also increased from 3.4% in
2005 to 3.8% in 2006.
Regional hospitals and some
district hospitals are
currently providing
antiretroviral therapy
services for HIV positive
clients.
4. Number of Exact number is not known.
infected
children
5. Number of As at June 2006, 2.9% of
children under eligible HIV positive children
treatment were receiving ART
nationally. Given that more
than 6,000 children are
eligible for ART
24
Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
C. Support community 1. Existing The existing legislation,
initiatives to help legislation, policy and programmes to
families and policy and support families and OVCs
communities cope programmes to include:
with HIV/AIDS and support Legislation:
establish families and Children’s Act, 1998
mechanisms for OVCs (Act 560)
alternative care for Criminal Code
children orphaned by Amendment, 1998
AIDS and other (Act 554)
vulnerable children.
Enact relevant Policies & Plans:
legislation to protect In the case of policies, the
the rights of people following have been
affected by HIV/AIDS formulated:
including orphans o Early Childhood Care
and widows and Development
Policy
o Gender and Children
Policy
o National Policy
Guidelines on Orphans
and other Children
made Vulnerable by
HIV/AIDS
o Street Children Policy
o Disability Policy
o Draft Child Labour
Policy
o Special Educational
Needs Policy
Framework
o MOWAC’s 3-year
Strategic
Implementation Plan
2. Legislation or Act 560 makes provisions on
policies on adoptions
formal,
domestic
adoptions
3. Budget Information not available at
allocated to the time of compilation
assist families
and children
4. Specific Information not available at
legislation on the time of compilation
inheritance by
orphans
D. Strengthen 1. Policies, Health education sessions on
information, budget adolescent health-related
education and allocated to topics were conducted in the
communication for educate youth regions. Prevention of
and with children on HIV/AIDS adolescent pregnancy and
and youth to and HIV were major issues
increase awareness Reproductive discussed.
on HIV/AIDS, to Health
25
Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
foster positive 2. Availability of Contraceptives are available.
attitudes towards contraceptive Some are given out free and
those affected and others are sold.
reduce 3. Percentage of The National AIDS Control
stigmatization and youth affected Programme (NACP) report for
exclusion; by HIV/AIDS the year 2006 indicated that
out of 16,055 reported cases
of HIV, 6.9% are adolescents
(10-19years) and 18.2% are
youth (15-24years).
4. Number of Data on number of children
child-headed heading households due to
household HIV/AIDS cannot be provided
owing to lack of sufficient
data.
E. Promote holistic 1. Proportion of Not available at time of
health care services, youth aware of compilation
in particular, prevention
improve access to measures for
reproductive health HIV/AIDS
information, 2. Percentage of Not available at time of
counselling and voluntary compilation
voluntary testing testing among
services for youth
HIV/AIDS. Involve 3. Current Not available at time of
children and youth existing compilation
in developing and preventive
implementing programme
programmes aimed 4. Existence of Not available at time of
at changing high-risk modules/eleme compilation
behaviour among nts on sexual
young people. education in
Introduce sexual school curricula
education in school
curricula and include
programmes on
HIV/AIDS prevention
F. Enact and utilize 1. Existing Not available at time of
appropriate legislation with compilation
legislation and regard to
international trade supply of
regulations to ensure medicines
availability of drugs 2. Availability of Not available at time of
including anti-retro- anti-retroviral compilation
viral drugs at drugs
affordable prices, 3. Is ARV Considering the poverty
production of affordable to status, ARVs are not
pertinent the population? affordable
pharmaceuticals and 4. Percentage of Not available at time of
technologies for the subsidy on the compilation
care and treatment drugs
of those affected by
HIV/AIDS
26
Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
G Enact legislation, 1. Measures taken Not available at time of
where necessary, to to ensure compilation
ensure that there is accessibility
no discrimination in and
school or workplace maintenance of
against children and OVCs in school;
young people living 2. Status on Ghana’s Laws are very
with HIV/AIDS existing specific on discrimination.
legislation on They do not discriminate
discrimination against persons living with
against people HIV/AIDS. There is however
living with a problem with attitudes
HIV/AIDS towards PLWHAs. With the
intense AIDS education, there
is evidence that
stigmatisation is decreasing
as more and more people
have become aware of the
realities of the disease
H. Establish a multi- 1. Existing policy There is a National policy
sectoral national on impact of Guidelines on Orphans made
policy on the impact HIV/AIDS on Vulnerable by HIV/AIDS in
of HIV/AIDS on child child place. There is also an Early
development and development Childhood Care and
involve all Development Policy
stakeholders 2. Budget Between 2003 and 2005, the
allocated for Ghana AIDS Commission has
this campaign provided an amount of
¢16,200,000,000 to
implementing agencies to
offer services for children
infected or affected by
HIV/AIDS. Other
governmental and non-
governmental agencies have
also made budgetary
provisions to campaign
against HIV/AIDS
I. Ensure that children 1. Number of Data not available
affected by conflicts children in
including refugee conflict
and Internally situation
Displaced Children affected by
(IDC) are included in HIV/AIDS
HIV/AIDS prevention 2. Existing Not available at time of
and response preventing compilation
programmes and programmes in
that such refugee camps
programmes are etc.
viewed as an
essential component
of all humanitarian
relief and assistance
3. Realizing the A. Governments should 1. Measures taken A variety of mechanisms are
Rights to rededicate to implement in place to ensure access and
Education themselves to the the objectives participation of all children,
realization of the of the OAU especially girls. Educational
Objective: OAU Education Decade of facilities in all districts are
27
Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
Education is a Decade goals and Education in undergoing rehabilitation,
basic right that ensure coordination Africa (1997- while additional schools are
allows every child on Regional 2006) – being constructed to serve
to develop to her Economic (Education for areas where these are lacking
or his fullest Communities for the All; Education or are in temporary
potential. effective of Girls and structures. The Girls’
The right to implementation of Women; Education Unit, established
education of the goals promoting to facilitate and advocate
every child should adult education the education of the girl-
be ensured and literacy) child undertakes regular
sensitisation and awareness
creation programmes to
encourage families to send
their children to school.
Some NGOs13 are assisting in
this effort by providing some
small grants to families to
undertake income generating
projects. The World Food
Programme and the Catholic
Relief Services provide food
rations, both dry and cooked,
to encourage children to
access school and to ensure
the retention of girls in
school.
13 WUSC has supported women’s groups in Northern Ghana with grants to enable them send their girls to school in the Northern Region
28
Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
B. Governments should 1. Legislation on The Education policy in
Commit themselves free education Ghana states that education
to the provision of is free at the basic level, yet
quality, free and some forms of charges have
compulsory basic been approved to be paid by
education. parents. These levies include
Governments must parent-teacher association
mobilize contributions, sports,
international donor culture, and guidance and
community and counselling. The charges
financial institutions differ between the primary
including the World and JSS level and schools
Bank and the IMF to adopt varying means,
commit themselves including different forms of
to support this goal exclusion, to ensure the
payment of the levies, in
spite of government
directives that no child
should be excluded for non-
payment of school levies.
Though these levies are
presumed to be affordable,
some parents are unable to
provide their contribution,
hence constituting one of the
major causes of non-
attendance of school.
In giving consideration to the
real cost of the child’s
education to the family, the
Ghana Education Service with
assistance from Development
Partners, supports identified
groups and individual
children with a variety of
packages. These include
scholarship that covers the
cost of schooling and support
to needy pupils, especially
girls (comprising school
uniforms, school bag,
sandals, exercise books and
pencils). This type of
assistance is available to fifty
pupils in each school in all
the districts annually since
its introduction in 1999.
29
Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
2. Rate of A comprehensive analytical
schooling review of key access issues in
Ghana reveals a gap between
the population of 6 to 11
year olds (school-going-age)
and the population enrolled.
Enrolment trends indicate
that a significant percentage
of Ghanaian children are
either not in school, drop out
without completing primary
school, or even never make it
up to Junior Secondary
School14.
3. Plans of action Since the implementation of
related to the Educational Reforms
schooling Programme in 1987,
considerable efforts have
been made to improve access
to education for all children.
Projects such as
rehabilitation, expansion and
construction of new school
structures have been
pursued. More teachers have
been trained and provision of
teaching and learning
facilities by the government
and other donor partners has
also increased. These
initiatives have improved
teaching and learning,
enrolment, and retention in
both the rural and urban
educational institutions in
the country.
4. Percentage of Between 2002 and 2005, a
enrolment rate total of 2,144,985 children
were enrolled in
kindergarten, 8,892,515 in
primary school, and
2,982,178 in Junior
Secondary schools15
Year GER16 NER17
2002 80 58
2003 75.7 55.9
2004 78.4 55.6
2005 83.3 59.1
14
Preliminary Education Sector Performance Report 2007.
15
MOESS, SRIMPR/EMIS
16 GER-Gross Enrolment Ratio is number of enrolment (irrespective children’s ages) divided by population (6-11 year
olds)
17 NER-Net Enrolment Ratio is number of enrolment (6-11 year olds) divided by population (6-11 year olds).
30
Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
5. Budget At the central level, overall
allocated to allocation of funding to
education18 education has increased with
the setting up of the Ghana
Education Trust Fund (GET
Fund) and the share of
education in the District
Assembly Common Fund
(DACF). These two sources
are part of the statutory
funds of the national budget,
which are mandatory. The
table below indicates the
government’s budget
allocation for the GES from
2003 to 2005.
Year Allocation
2003 1,852,580,097,805
2004 2,304,955,000,351
2005 2,799,908,681,559
6. Support Data not available at the
received to time of compilation
finance
education
18
MOES (2005), Preliminary Education Sector Performance Report.
31
Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
C. Governments should 1. Existing The co-operation between
create partnerships partnership to Ghana government and the
with non-formal achieve free international community
providers, civil and universal including non-governmental
society organization education organizations to promote
and the community education has been positive.
in order to achieve The UN system, especially
the goal of free and UNICEF, has been very
universal education supportive in providing funds
and technical support to both
state and non-state child-
focus agencies to improve
education through research,
advocacy, monitoring,
capacity building, and
support for service delivery.
A major focus of UNICEF’s
technical and service delivery
support is the WFFC goals
and targets. Other non-state
agencies have also received
various supports from donor
agencies such as PLAN
Ghana, World Vision
International (WVI), Save the
Children (SC), to improve
education, health, water and
sanitation for children. Good
parenting, advocacy on child
rights, and rehabilitation of
disadvantaged children and
grants to needy parents to
engage in micro-credit
ventures are other areas
Development partners have
provided support since 2002.
MOESS together with other
stakeholders have instituted
a number of policy
interventions in a bid to
attain the MDG of universal
primary completion by 2015.
The Ghana School Feeding
Programme is being funded
by the Government of Ghana
and the Dutch Government.
2. Describe the Refer to statement above
success stories
D. Governments should 1. Enrolment rate Trend of Net Enrolment of
urgently address the and rate of primary & JSS
challenge of drop-outs Year 2004/ 200 2006/0
providing relevant 05 5/0 7
education tailored to 6
national social and Pri 59.1 69.2 81.11
economic needs, mar
current level of y
development while JSS 70.3 74.5 52.43
taking into account Rate of Dropouts
32
Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
the forces of Pri Information not
globalization mar available at the time
y of compilation
JSS Information not
available at the time
of compilation
2. Rate of There are 478 Senior
enrolment at Secondary Schools and 127
secondary level approved private secondary
schools reporting. The
overall percentage increase
in enrolment in 2006/07 was
28% (384,455 in 2005/06 to
492,120). The GPI reached
0.83 this year.
E. Governments should 1. Innovations The new Educational Policy
draw lessons from with regard to drafted focuses on new basic
new models of new basic school
education like the school
‘new basic school’
movement now
becoming common in
the West African
States which focus
on skills and learning
related to local
culture and moral
values, teaching in
local language as
well as civic
education
F. Take into account 1. Teaching This is embodied in the new
national needs, local innovations as Educational Policy drafted
realities, indigenous regard
languages and education
knowledge, special
learning needs of
children, children in
need of special
measures, girls, and
children from
nomadic
communities, in
curriculum
development and in
delivery of
education
G. Strengthen and 1. Measures taken Almost every basic school has
involve communities to involve the established School
in the mobilization communities in Management Committees,
of resources, the with membership drawn from
management of management of the communities in which the
schools, reconsider schools and school is located. This is an
staffing in view of promotion of initiative to get communities
the toll HIV/AIDS education involved in the management
has in the education of the affairs schools in every
system, review community.
remuneration for
33
Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
teachers and ensure
continuous teacher
education
H. Strengthen the 1. Measures taken Following a series of The science
teaching of science to promote consultative workshops, a centres
and the utilization of teaching of new ICT in education Policy face the
the new information science and has been developed by the following
and technologies as utilization of Ministry of Education, problems:
well as innovative ICT Science and Sports. This was Trainin
teaching and done with financial and g of
learning approaches technical support from the science
and methods; Global e-Schools and and
Communities Initiative Techni
(GeSCI). Microsoft has cians
pledged to sponsor the to man
printing of five thousand the
copies of the Policy centres
document early enough fir its Lack of
launch in August 2007. The funds
inaugural meeting of the for the
National ICT in Education running
Coordinating Committee of the
made up of public and centre
private sectors, civil society, buses
development partners, Replac
educational institutions, ement/
parents and students has refurbi
been held. This apex-national shment
body will essentially develop of
a comprehensive equipm
implementation plan and also ent,
provide guidance in the chemic
entire implementation of the als,
policy19. comput
2. Status of The MOESS in 1996 ers and
existing school established 110 Science their
programmes Resource Centres in selected accesso
which include Senior Secondary Schools ries
science and ICT (SSS) throughout the country
for each to serve a cluster of
schools in their respective
localities to address the
problems of equipment.
I. Eliminate gender 1. Percentage of GER NER
disparities in girls’ Year Boy Girl Boy Girl
education by taking enrolment in 2002 83 76 59 58
special measures to schools 2003 78.8 72.5 57.4 54.5
increase girls’ access 2004 81.4 75.3 56.5 54.7
to schools, improve 2005 86.2 80.3 60.0 58.3
their participation 2. Rate of girl Data not available at the
and retention rates drop-outs time of compilation
J. Strengthen 1. Existing Data not available at the
vocational training vocational time of compilation
programmes, training
introduce life skills schools/centres
19
Preliminary Education Sector Performance Report 2007.
34
Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
and create other 2. Number of Data not available at the
training youth enrolled time of compilation
opportunities for in these
adolescents so as to training schools
gain employable 3. Existing post- Data not available at the
skills and for self- training time of compilation
development programmes
K. Ensure the 1. Existence of Information not available
integration of peace modules/eleme
education, nts on peace
democracy, human education,
rights, humanitarian human rights,
law, sexual humanitarian
education, health law, sexual
education and education,
environmental health
protection in the education,
education system environment
protection
included in the
education
system
35
Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
A. Stop the use of 1. Formal age of By law, only persons who are
4. Realising the children as soldiers, conscription 18 and above are allowed to
Right to demobilize all into the armed join the Armed Forces, and
Protection combatants aged forces there is no mandatory
under eighteen and conscription of any nature
a) Children in develop and 2. Number of By law, persons under the
Conflict implement children under age of 18 are not allowed to
Situations and programmes for 18 enrolled in join the Armed Forces
foreign their rehabilitation the army,
occupation and social army troops
reintegration; 3. Number of Ghana has no experience
Objective: children who with children being directly
Give increased have been involved in armed conflicts.
care and demobilized There have been no wars
protection to fought within the boundaries
children in order of Ghana, nor has there been
to reduce the any prolonged rebel activity
devastating 4. Status of There are no child soldiers in
impacts of war existing Ghana and so need has arisen
services to for demobilization and
ensure their re- subsequent re-education and
education and reintegration
social
reintegration
B. Protect former child 1. Measures in The laws of Ghana protect
soldiers from place to children from being enrolled
retribution, protect child into the Armed forces. In
summary executions, soldiers as well order to ameliorate the
arbitrary detention, as former child effects of conflict on
torture and other soldiers children, there are
punitive actions by governmental institutions and
using the provisions CSOs who provide relief
in the African services and mediate
Charter on the between feuding parties
Rights and Welfare
of the Child and the
CRC
C. Protect children 1. Number of Between 2002 and 2005,
from abduction and children there have been 1077 cases
to stop their use as victims of of abductions (DOVVSU,
slaves abduction 2005). The breakdown is as
follows:
2002: 153
2003: 175
2004: 192
2005: 237
2006: 320
2. Existing Children’s Act, 1998
legislation (Act 560)
against Criminal Code
abduction Amendment Act, 1998
(Act 554)
36
Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
D. Curb the illicit trade 1. Existing Establishment of a the
on small arms and measures to Ghana National
light weapons at prevent illicit Commission on Small
national and trade of small Arms
international level. arms and light The development of th
Create partnerships weapons Ghana Small Arms and
with civil society in Light Weapons (SALW)
preventing illicitly Project to contribute to
acquired arms, and conflict prevention
awareness raising as through the
well as in monitoring establishment of a
government policy mechanism to provide
support to the
Government of Ghana to
address the increasing
proliferation of illicit
small arms and light
weapons and to reduce
the potential for armed
violence
Launching a Campaign
against the misuse of
Small Arms and Light
Weapons to educate and
sensitize the general
public about the negative
effects and the dangers
associated with the
proliferation of Small
Arms and Light Weapons
(SALW) to sustainable
human development
37
Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
E. Ensure special 1. Programmes in The Ministry of Manpower,
protection and place in Youth and Employment
access to refugee camps (MMYE) is the agency
humanitarian aid to protect and responsible for protecting the
and programmes for educate rights of refugee children. In
refugee children, children; Ghana a refugee child is
traumatized entitled to rights and is
children, internally subject to the duties
displaced children specified in:
and children in post
conflict situations The articles of the United
Nation’s Convention
relating to the Status of
refugees of 1951
Protocol relating to the
Status of refugees of
1967
The Organisation of
African Unity Convention
governing specific
aspects of refugee
problem in Africa
Refugee Law, 1992
(PNDCL 305D)
A refugee child who has been
granted refugee status is
issued an Identity Card (in
the prescribed form),
Resident Permit and a United
Nation’s Travel Document
(where appropriate). The
DSW collaborates with other
agencies to give special
protection to refugee
children by providing them
and their mothers with
shelter, food, counselling and
other emotional support for
their survival. In extreme
cases DSW helps to settle
refugee children in homes of
fit persons. Schools have
been established in the
refugee camp in Gomoa
Budumbram.
2. Budget Information not available at
allocated for the time of compilation
these
programmes
F. Eliminate the threat 1. Ratification of Ghana signed the Mine Ban
posed by landmines the Ottawa Treaty on 4 December 1997
and other Convention on and deposited its instrument
unexploded Landmines of ratification on 30 June
ordinance by 2000, the ninety-ninth
ensuring respect for country to do so.
38
Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
the Ottawa 2. Number of Ghana has never produced or
Convention by all victims of exported antipersonnel
State parties, landmines mines. There is no evidence
developing that it has aided in the
programmes for transshipment of landmines.
mine clearance and In February 1999, Landmine
survivor Monitor was told that the
rehabilitation Ghanaian Armed Forces do
programmes in not stockpile AP mines.[1]
consultation with There is no public record of
the affected the military using landmines,
communities and the even for training purposes.
military Ghana is not mine-affected.
3. Existing Ghana participated in the
programmes for First Meeting of States
mine clearance Parties in Maputo in May
and 1999, with a delegation of
rehabilitation representatives from the
of survivors Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and Ministry of Defense. It
participated in the first
meeting of the Standing
Committee of Experts (SCE)
on the General Status and
Operation of the Convention
in January 2000 and also in
the second meeting of the
SCE on Mine Clearance in
March 2000. Ghana voted for
UN General Assembly
Resolution 54/54B supporting
the Mine Ban Treaty in
December 1999.
G. Ensure that Member 1. Adherence to List not available at the time
States reaffirm their and of compilation
commitment to implementation
International of International
Humanitarian Law Humanitarian
and Continental and Law and
International continental and
Charters and International
Conventions Charters and
Conventions
H. Encourage Member 1. Ratification of The Rome Treaty became
States to the Rome operational in July 2002 and
ratify/accede to the Statute the statute has received
Rome Statute of the signatures from about 140
International Crime states and has been ratified
Court as a step by about 90 countries
towards prosecution including Ghana.
of perpetrators of 2. Number of None in the history of Ghana
war crimes and to perpetrators of
end impunity for war crimes who
crimes against have been
children prosecuted
39
Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
I. Strengthen the 1. Policies on Ghana has little or no
capacity of regional including rights experience with any
and sub-regional of children prolonged war, however,
inter-governmental during ethnic fighting and
organizations and ceasefire and chieftaincy disputes occurs.
groupings to focus peace These conflicts generally
on the rights of agreements reduce children’s access to
children when health care and education
negotiating when they occur. In order to
ceasefires and peace ameliorate the effects of
agreements conflict on children, there
are governmental institutions
and CSO who provide relief
services and mediate
between feuding parties
2. Inclusion of Information not available at
child’s rights the time of compilation
on training
curricula of
peace-keepers
J. Ensure that Member 1. Status on the The MMYE is the agency
States reaffirm their protection of responsible for protecting the
commitments to the refugees rights of the refugee child in
1951 Convention Ghana. In Ghana, a refugee
relating to the status child is entitled to rights and
of refugees and its is subject to the duties
1967 protocol as specified in:
well as the 1969 United Nations
Convention Convention relating to
governing the status of refugees of
specific aspects of 1951
refugee problems in Protocol relating to the
Africa status of refugees of
1967
AU Convention governing
specific aspects of
refugee problem in
Africa
Refugee Law, 1992
(PNDC L305D)
A refugee child who has been
granted refugee status is
issued an identity card (in
the prescribed form),
Resident Permit and a United
Nations Travel Document
(where appropriate). The
DSW collaborates with other
agencies to give special
protection to refugee
children by providing them
and their mothers with
shelter, food, counselling and
other emotional support for
their survival.
40
Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
b) Legal A. Carry out 1. Comprehensive Children’s Act, 1998
Protection comprehensive review on all (Act 560)
review of all legislation on Intestate Succession
Objective: legislation, with a children Law (PNDC L111)
Provide legal special focus on undertaken and
protection of personal and family reforms
children outside law, to ensure enacted
situations of conformity with the particularly on
armed conflict provisions of the personal and
and under foreign ACRWC and the CRC. family law
occupations Customary laws 2. Existing Children’s Act, 1998 (Act
inconsistent with the legislation on 560)
interests of the child the protection
and to the of children
international norms
governing the rights
of the child should
be eliminated or
readapted
41
Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
B. Develop child, youth 1. Existing The applicable law and
and gender friendly legislation on procedures on which
inheritance and adoption adoption is determined is in
adoption laws in the the Children’s Act, sections
States where 65-86 and the Adoption
adoption is Rules.
permitted 2. Number of The Adoption Units in all the
adoptions at Regions dealt with Relative
national level and Non-Relative Adoption
cases in 2003 and 2004. In
2003, the Courts throughout
the country granted two
hundred and forty-six (246)
relative adoption orders,
involving three hundred and
thirteen (313) children.
Adoption orders involving
forty-one (41) abandoned
children were granted as well
in the same year. This means
that the abandoned or
orphaned children’s adoption
was formalized by their
adoptive parents. A total of
two hundred and seventy-
seven (277) relative
adoptions were handled in
2004. Two hundred and fifty-
two (252) orphans were also
placed with suitable
applicants prior to their
formal adoption
3. Number of Five (5) inter-country
adoptions at adoptions involving Ghana
international and other countries were
level carried out within the same
period
C. Develop mechanisms 1. Percentage of The current percentage of
for enforcement and children who children who know their
monitoring the know about rights cannot be provided as
legislation; ensure their rights no nationwide survey has
that children are been conducted since 2000.
educated on their The 2000 study indicates that
rights; ensure easy 36% of children in Ghana
access to legal know about their rights20
protection; and 2. Existing courts Family Tribunals are all over
introduce child and judges for the country and plans are
friendly court children under way to establish Child
systems and Panels. There are no courts
divergent systems for children in Ghana.
20
GNCC, Ghana’s Children,: The Child’s Perspective, 2000.
42
Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
for young offenders 3. Existing There are remand homes in
rehabilitation Ghana. These are temporary
centres for centres for juvenile
youth offenders. Between 2001 and
delinquents 2004 a total number of 1,211
children were admitted at
the remand homes in the
country. Figures for 2005
and 2006 were not ready at
the time of compilation
4. Are there child There are National and
friendly police Regional Domestic Violence
units at Victims Support Units
national level? (DOVVSU) all over the
country. This a special
Police Unit mandated to
address violence and abuse
cases related to children,
women and other vulnerable
groups
5. Provisions of There are captions of human
ACRWC and rights articles in education
CRC materials
incorporated in
education
curriculum
D. Promote community 1. Existing There is strong partnership
and civil society effective between government and
organizations, partnership CSO groups including NGOs,
participation in between religious groups, and the
monitoring child Governments, media. Partnerships exists in
rights abuses and NGOs and CSOs all areas of development
reform reporting initiatives such as education,
processes for such health, social welfare, child
abuse protection etc.
E. Strengthen 1. Existing law on The Births and Deaths
structures for compulsory Registration Act of 1965 (Act
registration of births birth 301) which established the
as soon as children registration current births and deaths
are born, registration system, makes
particularly in the the registration of births and
rural areas and deaths compulsory in all
amongst nomadic regions of the country.
43
Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
communities; 2. Is birth In order to make registration
registration facilities accessible to a
decentralised? larger section of the
population, the Births and
Deaths Registry has offices in
all the 10 regions, 138
districts and several
communities. Section (8) (1)
of the Registration Act
stipulates that the birth of
every child shall be
registered in the district in
which the child was born.
Even in situations where a
new born child is found
deserted and no information
as to birthplace is available,
the birth is registered by the
Registrar for the district
where the child was found.
(Section (80) (2)). The
registration law empowers
the Registrar to summon the
parents of a child who may
not have registered the birth
of the child to attend
personally at the Births and
Deaths Registry to furnish the
prescribed particulars for
registration within a
prescribed time (section 8
(5). Even though cultural
practices such as the late
naming of a child, as
practiced by some ethnic
groups, can impede the early
registration of the birth, the
Registration law, (section 10)
provides relief as it makes it
possible for registration of
the name subsequent to the
registration of the birth. The
issue of non-registration is
therefore adequately
addressed in the registration
law.
The Registry has taken some
important steps to increase
awareness on the importance
of birth registration.
Intensive public education
has been embarked at
national, district and
community levels to sensitize
and also motivate the
population to register their
births and deaths. Materials
have also been developed for
community level sensitization
activities, these include T-
Shirts, stickers, leaflets,
posters and others. The 44
media has been very active in
all these programmes. As
part of activities to
Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
3. Existing Births and deaths registration
facilities for in Ghana has evolved from a
birth passive approach of data
registration in collection to a more active
rural areas and method, which involves
the nomad extensive use of mobile
communities registration assistants who
or mobile undertake regular community
registration visits to collect information
units/processes on all births and deaths that
have occurred within a
particular period
4. Percentage of The 2006 MICS study
children indicates that the births of
registered at 51 percent of children under
birth five years in Ghana have
been registered
5. Waivers of As part of activities to
registration encourage birth registration,
fees to fees charged for the
increase registration of infants has
registration been abolished. Data on
especially in registered births from the
disadvantaged regions, especially in the
or marginalised rural communities have
communities indicated a steady increase in
infant registration figures in
the months following the
removal of the fees ADD MR.
ADDO’S
F. Alleviate the 1. Measures taken Information not available at
humanitarian impact to alleviate the the time of compilation
of sanctions regimes sanctions
upon children
c) Protection of A. Take urgent steps to 1. The status of Ghana has ratified the ILO
children from eliminate child ratification of Convention 182 on the Worst
violence, labour, in particular, the ILO Forms of Child Labour
neglect, abuse the worst forms of Convention 182
and sexual child labour, as on the Worst
exploitation defined in the ILO Forms of Child
Convention 182. Labour
Objective: Those Member 2. Status of Information was not available
Enhance States who have not implementation at the time of compilation
protection of ratified the ILO of the
children against Convention 182 Convention
all forms of should do so quickly
violence, abuse and also put in place
and exploitation mechanisms for its
implementation
45
Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
B. Curb the growing 1. Existence of Steps undertaken to combat
phenomenon of child legislation, the phenomenon include the
trafficking through programmes following
prevention and and national Legislation
protection measures Plan of Action Establishment of MOWAC
for children as well against child Setting up of National
as prosecution of trafficking Committee on Trafficking
traffickers. Put in Establishment of the
place effective ILO/IPEC Pogramme to
regional and strengthen national
bilateral agreements capacity for combating
on border controls the worst forms of child
and handling of labour
victims of child Organisation of
trafficking; trafficking related
workshops/seminars to
train, sensitize, and
advocate on issues
relating to trafficking
Support from donor
partners to improve
education, health, water
and sanitation for
children, good parenting,
advocacy on child rights,
and rehabilitation of
disadvantaged children
and grants micro-credit
to needy parents
Increased and improved
Multi-media publicity
2. Number of Even though there is
children being evidence of trafficking in the
trafficked country, the exact number of
children trafficked in or out
of Ghana is not known.
Information available,
however, indicates that the
country serves as a sending,
receiving and transit point
3. Number of Ghana passed the Human
child Trafficking Act (Act 694) in
traffickers 2006. Since then there has
arrested and been only one prosecution.
jailed CHECK
4. Legislation in Human Trafficking Act, 2006
place to (Act 694)
protect these
children
5. Agreement Refer to initiatives
entered into undertaken to combat Child
with trafficking
neighbouring
countries to
curb trafficking
of children
46
Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
C. Make use of the 1. Existing Refer to initiatives
technical and agreement undertaken to combat Child
financial cooperation entered into trafficking
provided by the ILO, with ILO and
UNICEF and other UNICEF to fight
international against child
agencies in labour
elaborating their 2. Percentage of Percentage not available as
programmes and children the exact number of child
policies against child victims of the victims of the worst forms of
labour; worst forms of child labour is not known
child labour;
3. Existing Steps undertaken to combat
policies and the phenomenon include the
programmes following
against child Legislation
labour Establishment of MOWAC
Setting up of National
Committee on Trafficking
Establishment of a Child
Labour Unit to focus on
child labour issues
Establishment of the
ILO/IPEC Pogramme to
strengthen national
capacity for combating
the worst forms of child
labour
Organisation of child
labour related
workshops/seminars to
train, sensitize, and
advocate on issues
relating to trafficking
Support from donor
partners to improve
education, health, water
and sanitation for
children, good parenting,
advocacy on child rights,
and rehabilitation of
disadvantaged children
and grants micro-credit
to needy parents
Increased and improved
Multi-media publicity
D. Protect children 1. Special Under article 15 of the
from all forms of measures taken Constitution, the dignity of
violence, torture to protect all persons shall be
and take corrective children inviolable. No person
measures to ensure against all whether or not he is
that children are forms of arrested, restricted or
treated in a manner violence and detained shall be subjected
that respects their ensure the to torture, or other cruel,
physical and mental respect of their inhuman or degrading
integrity physical and treatment, or punishment
mental and other condition that
integrity detracts or is likely to
47
Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
detract from his dignity and
worth as a human being.
Juvenile offenders are
guaranteed the right to be
kept in lawful custody in cells
specially designed for them.
Further more article 28(3)
provides that “a child shall
not be subjected to torture
or other cruel, inhuman or
degrading treatment or
punishment”
48
Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
E. Protect children 1. Measures taken Refer to strategies
from sexual abuse to protect implemented to sensitize the
and exploitation children from community as well as prevent
through partnerships sexual violence sexual violence in the next
with the civil society and abuse two cells below
to promote safe 2. Programmes or Information not available at
homes, safe schools, policies the time of compilation
safe neighbourhoods encouraging
and communities. local, formal
Establish alternative adoptions
care systems for and/or foster
children without care of OVCs
families within their
communities
49
Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
F. Sensitize children, 1. Strategies The following strategies have Inadeq
families, care givers implemented been implemented : uate
and the communities to sensitize the
on the harmful community as Passage of the Criminal Lack of
consequences of well as prevent Code Amendment Law, capacit
sexual exploitation. sexual violence Act 554 of 1998, which ies of
Address factors like sets out specified practiti
tourism, penalties for both rape, oners
pornography, defilement and other in the
cultural and sexual offences handlin
traditional practices g of
Establishment of DOVVSU
which encourage sexual
to provide psycho-socio
sexual exploitation. violenc
counselling, social
Develop and e cases
welfare and legal support
implement in the
services to victims of
programmes for crimina
sexual violence
rehabilitation for l
victims of sexual Commissioning of Shelter justice
abuse and for Victims of Sexual system
exploitation Abuse in October 2003
The
Improvement in absenc
information collection e of a
and management on child-
sexual violence through friendl
Surveys y
environ
Establishment of Data ment in
Base by DOVVSU and the courts
Judiciary to computerise where
its operations to cases
facilitate monitoring of of
types and number of defilem
cases ent and
Management of cases by rape
the Courts. UNICEF and are
other donor agencies heard.
continue to build the Cost of
capacity of judges to treatm
deal with child victims. ent and
Provision of medical examin
assistance by the Ministry ation
of Health and other is
private health beyond
practitioners in early the
detection, examination, reach
treatment and official of the
documentation of sexual averag
abuse e
person
The establishment of the
Multisectoral Committee Due to
on Child Protection the
culture
The Media has served as of
an important source of silence
information on the surroun
nature and prevalence of ding
sexual violence. sex, it
not
The Cultural Environment
uncom
in Ghana. Socio-cultural
mon
attitudes in Ghana place 50 for
a particular stigma on
familie
victims of sexual
s to
offences. Blame for such
seek
Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
2. Rehabilitation There is a Shelter for
programme in Victims of Sexual Abuse
place for
victims of DOVVSU provides psycho-
violence and socio counselling, social
sexual welfare and legal support
exploitation services to victims of
sexual violence
The Ministry of Health
and other private health
practitioners provide
medical assistance for
victims of sexual abuse
3. Child All Child-focus organisations Enforcemen
protection working with children have t of
policies/codes codes of conduct for the sanctions is
of conduct for protection of children sometimes
organisations a challenge
working with
children
G. Eliminate all harmful 1. Existence of Every community, however,
traditional practices, harmful has its own cultural norms
which are traditional and traditional practices,
detrimental to girls’ practices which constitute the
and women’s rights detrimental to framework of these societies.
and health. Stop the health of Incidentally, some of these
female genital girls and cultural practices are
mutilation and., women harmful to girls and women
support initiatives in Ghana. Some relate to
for alternative early marital practices,
methods for taboos and socio-cultural
socialization. Stop norms and mores.
early marriages and 2. Existing Right not to be subjected to
enact and enforce policies, torture or other cruel,
legislation on programmes inhuman or degrading
minimum marriage and legislation treatment or punishment is a
age for girls to fight against subject that is of much
these practices concern to Ghanaians. A lot
of advocacy work has been
made in the press, both
international and national,
about harmful practices.
Such harmful practices have
been criminalized the 1992
Republican Constitution and
punishable by criminal law
under The Children’s Act and
the Criminal Offences Act.
51
Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
3. Alternative Alternatively, there are
non-harmful traditional practices that are
practices e.g. not harmful. Traditional
rites of passage notions behind most of these
encouraged and practices were not harmful
practiced but very productive. Most
within socio-cultural practices that
communities involve children directly are
where HTP carried out in fulfillment of
exists the socialization process of
the child
H. Protect children 1. Policies in Ghana is a signatory to many
from substance place to fight United Nations Conventions
abuse by creating drug abuse and Protocols on drugs such
widespread as the 1961 Single
awareness on their Convention, 1971 Convention
harmful effects as on Psychotropic Substances,
well as giving them 1972 Protocol Amending the
life coping skills. 1961 Single Convention and
Enforce and monitor 1988 Convention against
policies on illicit Illicit Trafficking of Narcotic
drug cultivation, Drugs and Psychotropic
production, Substances. The main body
trafficking and mandated to deal with issues
consumption related to drugs and
including prohibiting controlled substances is the
intoxicant solvents, Narcotic Control Board (NCB)
psychotropic which has procedures in
substance and place to deal with drug
tobacco advertising related issues in the country.
The Narcotic Drugs (Control,
Enforcement and Sanctions)
Law 1990 (PNDCL 236) bans
narcotic drugs and
establishes the NCB to stem
the flow of drugs into the
country.
2. Existence of Information not available at
national plan of the time of compilation
action against
drug abuse and
progress
achieved in its
implementation
I. Develop and 1. Status on Information not available at
implement programmes to the time of compilation
programmes for and cater for
with, children in children
need of special needing special
measures at local, measures of
national and regional protection
levels. Promote
access to and
inclusion in
education,
rehabilitation,
cultural and
52
Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
recreational
activities and the
improvement of the
physical
environment
53
Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
A. Enactment of 1. Legislation and Legislations have been
5. Participation necessary legal policies to made to ensure effective
of Youth and measures to ensure ensure and meaningful
Children that children’s views effective and participation of children,
are taken into meaningful significant among them is
account on issues participation of the Children’s Act, which
relevant to their children in has provisions on all
Objective:
interests policies protection and welfare
To enforce concerning issues relating to
without delay the them children.
right of youth and In the case of policies
children to the following have been
participate, and formulated:
to have their civil o Early Childhood Care
rights respected, and development
as stipulated in Policy
the ACRWC and o Gender and Children
CRC Policy
o National Policy
Guidelines on Orphans
and other Children
made Vulnerable by
HIV/AIDS
o Street Children Policy
o Disability Policy
o Draft Child Labour
Policy
o Special Educational
Needs Policy
Framework
o Policy and Strategy for
Improving the Health
of Children Under Five
o Reproductive Health
Policy and Standards
o MOWAC’s 3-year
Strategic
Implementation Plan
B. Legal reforms 1. Laws Information not available at
necessary to provide facilitating the time of compilation
for public interest or public interest
social action litigation
litigation on behalf 2. Training of This is offered on regular
of children by judicial officers basis by government as well
interested groups 3. Judgements Information not available at
from courts on the time of compilation
social action
4. Legislation Information not available at
impacting on the time of compilation
children
54
Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
C. Special attention to 1. Inclusion of The following have been
the gender girls’ pursued:
dimension of any participation Establishment of the
legal reforms or Girls Education Unit
substantive in the GES
measures to promote Scholarships for girls
participation School Feeding
Programmes
Free Compulsory
Basic Universal
Education
Capitation Grant
D. Strengthening of 1. Measures taken Information not available at
groups that to strengthen the time of compilation
represent youth and Youth
children Council/Organi
sations
E. Facilitation of 1. Existence of This has been proposed but
freedom of children’s not yet materialized
association and parliament in
expression your country
for youth and
children, including
the setting up,
consolidating,
broadening and
strengthening
Children’s
Parliaments
F. Support widespread 1. Dissemination A lot of dissemination
child rights of the African programmes have been
education, within Charter to organised to publicise both
traditional communities the CRC and the African
communities, and in schools Charter by the DOC, NGO
amongst children Coalition and other Child
and youth in schools Rights groups at national,
and out of schools, regional and local levels
at institutions of 2. Organisation of Both governmental and non-
higher learning, training governmental organisations
within the media, sessions on have provided funds for the
police, armed forces children’s training of some police,
and peace keepers, rights for the media, health, judiciary,
health providers, the armed forces, and traditional leaders on
judiciary and all police, media, child rights at the national,
state institutions peace keepers, regional and local levels
from the local level health
to the national level provider, the
judiciary and
the community
3. Budget Information not available at
allocated for the time of compilation
the training
sessions
55
Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
G. Support initiatives to 1. Inclusion of The GES has a Cultural
increase culture and Education Unit, which
understanding of tradition in ensures that cultural
African traditional school curricula education is actually
values, practices and for children monitored in schools,
cultural perceptions especially at the basic level.
of children in Article 39 of the Constitution
relation to child makes provision for the
rights in particular conscious introduction of
and children’s cultural dimensions to
participation in relevant aspects of national
particular planning. The National
Commission on Culture (NCC)
as a result adopted a draft
Cultural Policy that serves as
a guide to all sectors of
governance and development
to ensure that culture is
promoted and preserved to
underscore the importance of
the equitable growth and
development of the nation of
which children are the most
valuable assets. In pursuance
of this cultural policy, there
are established in each of the
138 districts a Centre for
National Culture. These
centres which work in close
collaboration with the
District Assemblies, the
traditional authorities and
other relevant sectors such
as health, education among
others have the under-listed
objectives:
Development and
maintenance of
recreation and
learning centres for
children
Development and
dissemination of
traditional
knowledge including
oral literature,
history, science and
technology.
There is a close collaboration
between the NCC and the
GES to revise the curriculum
and syllabus for basic schools
to ensure that positive
traditional values and
concepts are used in the
design of textbooks. As part
of this collaboration,
textbooks in 11 Ghanaian
languages have been
developed for schools.
56
Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
2. Research Such a study was conducted
carried out on in 2000 by the Ghana
the perceptions National Commission on
and practices Children now a Department
related to the of MOWAC
rights of
children and
their
participation
H.. Support the role of 1. Existing Information not available at
youth in peace- programmes for the time of compilation
building, youth in peace-
reconciliation and building
reconstruction,
particularly in post-
conflict situations
I. Facilitation of 1. Number of The exact number of national
participation of national and and international fora on
youth and children international children and youth children
in international fora fora on have participated is known.
concerning issues children and Evidence, however, abounds
relevant to their youth and in that children are represented
interests which they in such for a at national and
have international levels
participated
J. Networking, 1. Existing There are child and youth
communication and networks of groups in Ghana such as the
information sharing communication Children in Broadcasting
among youth and and (CURIOUS MINDS) and Child
children information Rights International. These
among children are important networks of
and youth communication and
organisations information among children
and youth organisations. The
media also serves an
important channel for
propagating information
about young people
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Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
6. Other Actions A. Social mobilization 1 Conduct of This is done on regular basis Fundin
shall be intensified sensitization at national, regional and g
so that all sections and advocacy local levels and by both difficul
of society will be campaigns on governmental and non- ties
urged to take action the rights and governmental state actors. Mobilit
for the well-being of well-being of The concept of Child Rights is y
children and the children gradually gaining grounds in constra
protection of their the country as a result of ints
rights these programmes. Much has
also been done to instil the
spirit of the CRC in Ghana’s
legal system; the Criminal
Code (Amendment) Act,
Children’s Act, Child Rights
Regulations and Juvenile
Justice Act all make
provisions to ensure
conformity of domestic laws
to the CRC. The General
Principles of the CRC have
also influenced many policies
passed to ensure the welfare
of children; the continuous
advocacy on the laws and
policy will change the
populace attitude towards
children.
2. Regular AU Day of the African Child is
celebration of celebrated in the country on
the Day of the a regular basis. It is held
African Child every year with a specific
theme on current child-
pressing issues
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Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
B. Strong partnership 1. Provide details There is strong and regular
shall be created with on the partnership to advocate for
people’s movement, creation of the rights of children and
youth movements, such a also improve the welfare of
professional partnership children at national, regional
networks, artists, and local levels and by both
intellectuals, mass governmental and non-
media, business governmental state actors.
community, women
groups, religious and
traditional leader,
children, the
military,
adolescents,
political leaders as
well as civil society
organisations in
order to advocate
for the rights of
children and to
tackle problems
affecting them
C. It is crucial and 1. Status of The African Charter has not
necessary to run translation of yet been translated into any
child rights the African local Ghanaian language.
popularization Charter in local Plans are underway to
programmes in all languages and translate it into 6 local
languages including its languages in 2008
national languages dissemination
D. Community 1. Existing The drafting of policies for
participation, which mechanism on children in Ghana is very
seeks active and the inclusive, participatory and
genuine involvement participation of consultative. All
of the people the people in stakeholders take part in all
especially the the designing processes with active
children and women, of policies for participation of children
in the designing of children
policies and
programmes for
children and youth,
shall be vigorously
pursued
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Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
E. Strengthen family 1. Existing Plan of There is no such a plan of
units; revitalize the Action on the action. However, The
extended family to family International Year of the
fulfil its traditional Family provides a suitable
role and functions platform for increased
related to social awareness of family issues
reintegration and among governments, the
security, and reform private sector and within
adverse or harmful family institutions. It is also
customary practices a time to strengthen the
and biases, whilst capacity of national
promoting positive institutions to formulate,
cultural and implement and monitor
traditional practices policies in respect of
that enhance moral families. MOWAC organized
and ethical regional durbars to
values commemorate the
international year of the
family. In all, about 40
communities and over 4,000
children, parents, and
stakeholders took part in the
durbars in 2006.
2. Existing family There are family laws in
law Ghana. On 14th June 1985,
the Government of Ghana,
the Provisional National
Defence Council (PNDC),
promulgated four laws on
marriage and intestate
succession: the Intestate
Succession Law (PNDC L111),
the Customary Marriage and
Divorce (Registration) Law
(PNDC L112), the
Administration of Estate
(Amendment) Law (PNDC
L113) and the Head of Family
(Accountability) Law (PNDC
L114). The laws are the
latest in a series dating back
to 1884 that seek to
strengthen marriage unions
and intestate succession.in
Ghana.
3. Status of Both governmental and non-
programmes to governmental legal-related
educate organisations have periodic
families and educational outreaches to
budget educate the public on family
allocated law. Actual budget for such
programmes could not be
provided at the time of
compilation
F. Governments should 1. Existing The Government of Ghana
advocate and interaction has interacted with the
negotiate with the with the International Community at
international International different levels for economic
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Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
community and Community development
financial institutions
such as the World
Bank and IMF for:
debt cancellation;
increased
development aid;
increased
international trade
and investment; and
assistance in
accelerating the
growth of
information
communication
technology as steps
in reviving African
economies,
increasing the
benefits of
globalization and
minimizing its
negative impact
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Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
G. Governments should 1. Budget Refer to Table B
mobilize human and allocated to
financial resources social
from private and development
public sources,
reduce or rationalise
military
expenditures, re-
focus national
budgets and ensure
their efficient
utilization.
Collaborate with
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Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
economic and social 2. Existing According to the GLSS
development strategic surveys, Ghana’s poverty rate
partners, framework on fell from approximately 51.7
international poverty percent in 1991/92, to 39.5
financial reduction percent in 1998/99, to 28.5
institutions, donor percent in 2005/06.
governments and
Regional Economic The Ghana Poverty Reduction
Communities (RECs) Strategy (GRPS) provides a
for resource comprehensive approach to
mobilization and poverty reduction and long-
provision of term growth. The dimensions
technical assistance of poverty in Ghana in the
1990s and the lessons of
economic reform since the
mid 1980’s formed the basis
of the GPRS I and its
programme of reforms.
Prepared through an
extensive consultative
process with civil society and
other stakeholders, the GPRS
I identified the following five
priority areas for sustained
growth and accelerated
poverty reduction:
Ensuring macroeconomic
stability
Enhancing production
and employment
Enhancing human
resource development
Developing special
programmes for the
vulnerable and excluded,
and
Improving governance
With implementation
experience and following a
new policy direction, these
five thematic areas have
been restructured into the
three pillars of GPRS II
namely; Human Resource
Development, Private Sector
Competitiveness and Good
Governance & Civic
Responsibility21
21
Ghana’s Plus 5 Report: World Fit For Children (2002-2006).
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Africa Fit For Children : Ghana’s Report - 2007
H. Governments should 1. Existing A variety of child
contribute to the research programmes on child rights,
strengthening of programmes on education, health and social
research capacities childhood as welfare needs are carried out
on childhood through well as at the national, regional and
establishment research being local levels by both
and/or consolidation conducted governmental and non-
of the research governmental organisations.
networks on
childhood in Africa, The exact number of child-
with a view to related research being
develop close conducted in the country is
linkage between not known, however, UNICEF
research, decision- is in the process of
taking and advocacy completing a report on
in favour of Childhood in Ghana. A study
childhood in Africa undertaken on children’s
Involvement in Cocoa
Farming Practices is yet to be
published by MOWAC
2. Number of The exact number of
research research networks on
conducted and childhood in Africa
the utilization undertaken with a view to
of the results develop close linkage
of the research between research, decision-
taking and advocacy in favour
of childhood in Africa is not
known.
Attempts have been made to
improve statistics on children
and increasingly, the
government ministries and
agencies responsible for
various issues of vulnerable
groups, particularly MOWAC,
MMYE, MOESS, MOH, CHRAJ
have all improved their data
management capacities. In
spite of existing gaps, it is
evident that a lot of gains
have been made than a
decade before. The Ghana
Statistical Service has also
increased its collaboration
with MDAs working with
vulnerable groups to
harmonized research
methodologies and also
encourage comprehensive
reliable data approaches for
national development
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