A two day key stakeholders training to bring out the staggering realities of child abuse and vulnerable adults has been held by the Catholic Education Unit of the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese in Bolgatanga, Upper East region of Ghana.
The workshop which was organized by the Child Protection Team of the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese, brought together about 43 stakeholders drawn from the Media, Social Welfare, the Police, Immigration, Fire Service, Department of Children, Traditional Authorities, Non-Governmental Organizations NGOs, the Ghana Education Services, (GES), and the Bureau of National Investigation, (BNI), the Judiciary, Christians and the Muslim fraternity, Civil Society Organization among others.
The interactive training among the stakeholders was to bring together a collaborative effort to Safeguard Child Abuse and vulnerable adults in the societies.
It was sponsored by Hilton Foundation through the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent De Paul and World vision Ghana. As part of awareness creation, the Catholic Church has been called upon to rise up to the challenge regarding the exploitation of the vulnerable in society specially minors.
Reports in recent times indicates that, the Catholic Church has being in the lime light of human rights abuse especially in the Western World and Africa is no exception and Ghana for that matter is affected.
Speaking to Radio Ghana, the Bishop of Navrongo Bolgatanga-Diocese Right Revered Bishop Alfred Agyenta stated that, in the past, the church was not doing enough in reporting some of the human rights abuses within the church but as of now, there is the urgent need to encouraged people to speak up and bring to the fore the social vices that are taking place within the church and outside, so that together with government, civil society Organizations and other stakeholders, the issues could be addressed.
Bishop Agyenta explained further that, the church’s roll of evangelization is not only on the spiritual and moral aspects alone, but the human dimension as well. The human dimension he indicated that, man was created in the image and likeness of GOD and the church should reflect that as far as human development is concern, adding that, the church cannot live in isolation in this perilous times.
The Regional Regional Manager of Catholic Education Unit and a member of the Child Protection Team, Rev. Sister Bernardine Pemii stated that, no amount of investment in education will yield the desired result if parents do not secure the safety of their children at home.
She explained safeguarding and Child protection saying, many a parent holds the view that child’s right is a cultural threat but it is not without parental responsibilities.
It only behooves on parents to consider aspects of cultures that are inure to the development of the child and discard the obnoxious ones.
Sister Pemii indicated that from home to the school and to the church all are the duty of parents and gardens’.
Sister Pemii lamented that, the children parents failed to protect, the painful scars that reminds them of how much they are not cared for, their innocence that makes them more vulnerable.
The fear, sadness, loneliness, helplessness and the desperation should guide everyone to be more circumspect of how these children are handled.
The Child Protection and Advocacy Manager of World Vision Ghana, Gregory Dery explained World Vision Ghana is a Christian organization; their mission is to promote, prevent and protect the rights of children and vulnerable adults from all forms of abuses, because it happens in all facets of society.
Story filed by Emmanuel Akayeti