As part of efforts to bridge the gap between legislation and practice within the Ghanaian Child Justice system, Legal Resources Centre, a non-governmental human rights organization has organized a stakeholders’ workshop in Kumasi dubbed, “Child Justice Project”.
The “Child Justice Project” was launched in April this year to create an enabling environment for the protection of children.
The three-year project, supported by the European Union, is to bridge the gap between legislation and practice within the Ghanaian Child Justice system.
It is also aimed at ensuring that the right input to facilitate the review and amendment of child related legislation for the promotion and protection of child rights.
The Coordinator for the “Child Justice Project” Lawyer Clarke Noyoru advised parents not to see or handle children from reformation centres as community outcasts or failures.
He said parents must receive such children in good fate and give them all the support they need in order to incorporate them into the society without any difficulty.
The correctional centres in the country also need to be resourced, else it will become difficult for them to operate and carry out their mandate.
According to Lawyer Noyoru, a child’s crime is a reflection of the inability of the parents and the society to mold the child.
He said the fact that a child has erred does not mean he or she should be rejected, but rather a hospitable system be created for the child to continue with life by going back to school or learning a trade.
Lawyer Noyoru blamed the dwindling family and parental care and guidance for the increasing juvenile delinquency in the country, adding that said the increasing rate of delinquency paints a gloomy picture for the future of the country.
He said there is no nation without delinquent behavior and bad conduct, but cited the family institution as key to tackling this challenge.
Lawyer Noyoru called also for the licensing of social welfare officers to practice as social workers so that they will offer professional services such as probation and writing of social enquiry reports that are necessary in the justice for children sphere.
He further advocated capacity building programmes for chiefs and queenmothers to improve their ability to handle children’s cases efficiently.
