Children's plea to defend their rights

Boy making his voice hear on child issues

17th February, 2007 was a day over 100 children from selected rural communities in the central region will never forget. For the very first time they were given the opportunity to meet their regional minister – Nana Ato Arthur, and a member of the Council of State, Mr. Ato Essuman.

The children stated that, despite the provision on the rights of the child in the UN Child Right Convention, many children in the country are not enjoying their rights. A few questions from children to the regional minister  were:

• “Most children from Mpeseduaze go to school late because they fetch water from far places and sometimes queue for long hours before they can get water. Please, what are you doing about this?”
• “Children have a right to good health but there is no health post or clinic in my community. Please, what are you doing about this as a Minister in charge of my Region?”
• “Even though the government has brought the grants there are some children on the street selling and not in school, please what are you going to do about this?”

Plan and the board of local representatives

In response to their plea they were given these answers:

• Regional Minister Nana Ato Arthur, on the water issue indicated that some communities were being connected to the pipe born water system project in the central region.
  He will find out the situation and get back to them through Children’s Rights International (a local NGO). With respect to the poor school infrastructure at Akonoma, he promised to follow it up.  
• Mr. Ato Essuaman, a member of the Council of State, urged the children to be disciplined and focus on their studies to achieve their aim in life. 
• Plan Ghana Country Director Samuel Paulos urged parents to invest in the development of their children so they can later bring their positive quota to national development.
• Mr. C. A. Atiemo, the Board Chairman of CRI, stressed the need to institutionalise the program in all districts so children would get closer to the policy makers.

This was a memorable occasion indeed for the children and for Plan Ghana.