2023 DAY OF THE AFRICAN CHILD

The Department of Children under the auspices of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP) has successfully commemorated the 2023 A.U (African Union) Day of the African Child’ on Friday, 16th June, 2023 in Accra

The celebration of the AU Day of the African Child (DAC) was instituted in 1991 and is to be celebrated on the 16th June of each year in memory of the children who died as a result of a students’ uprising in Soweto, South Africa in 1976 against an apartheid regime that had skewed education towards the white minority.

The Day of the African Child has since become the main tool used by the AU and member states to trumpet ideals that enhance visibility and promote the rights of African children and their welfare issues in their countries.

This year’s celebration is themed ‘THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD IN THE DIGITAL ENVIRONMENT’ and seeks to sensitize the public and policy makers on the risks and opportunities of the digital environment.

On behalf of the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Hon. Lariba Zuweira Abudu, the Deputy Minister, Hon. Francisca Oteng Mensah in her keynote address, highlighted the need for priority to be given to the right to protection from harm and safety online for all children in light of the increasing high number of children with access to the internet

“It is important we give top priority to the right to protection from harm and safety online. A study conducted by the Department of Children in 2018 revealed that out of the total number of 4,549 children interviewed 9 out of 10 children have access to the internet with ages as low as 4 years and the highest being 15 years. This raises numerous concerns with this digital age, including cyberbullying, online predators, and exposure to dangerous materials”, she stated.

She continued “It is essential that we provide efficient safeguards for children from these dangers. This requires collaboration between governments, civil society organizations, and private organizations to enforce robust policies and regulations that prioritize child protection online, such as the Cybersecurity Act 2020 (Act 1030). Parents also have a critical role to play in ensuring that children understand the dangers and opportunities that the internet can pose.”

Hon. Francisca Oteng Mensah also stressed on the importance of teaching children to use technology responsibly in order to give them the information and abilities to use the digital world securely and responsibly; emphasizing on the need for teaching of privacy, online etiquette, critical thinking, and media literacy to be incorporated into school curricula as part of digital literacy and internet safety initiatives.

The Chief Director of the Ministry, Dr. Afisah Zakariah in her welcome address, called on stakeholders, to use the occasion to enlighten children on their rights in the digital environment in light of a recent study by the Department of Children which indicates that children are increasingly susceptible to meeting unknown people online.

“The AU Day of the African Child therefore provides us with a platform to shed light on the rights of children in the digital environment, exploring the impact of technology on their lives and advocating for their protection. It is crucial that we arm our children with the knowledge, skills, and tools to navigate the digital world safely, whilst also safeguarding their privacy, dignity, and freedom of expression” she stated.

The Country Director for World Vision, Laura Del Valle in a solidarity message commended the Ministry for their efforts in providing protection for children in this new digital age and promised the support of World Vision to help protect children from cyber abuse and unsuitable material.

UNICEF representative, Fiachra McAsey in a solidarity message, also commended the Ministry for mobilizing all partners in an effort to safeguard the future of children in Ghana and called for continuous cooperation to promote the transformative benefits of the digital age for all children.

The occasion was concluded with a forum on the children and the digital age where children were encouraged to take advantage of the digital explosion and use it purposely and whilst also being enlightened on the dangers they face on the internet.

Source: MoGCSP