By Florence Afriyie Mensah, GNA
Kumasi, Aug 29, GNA – Religious bodies have been asked to put child development and growth at the heart of their thinking and activities.
Dr. George Oppong, Executive Director of Defence for Children International (DCI), an NGO, said the physical, moral and education development of children needed to engage their optimum attention.
He made the call at a community durbar held in Kumasi to create awareness about the harmful effects of domestic violence and early child marriage.
The programme was jointly organized by the DCI and the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.
It brought together religious and community leaders, chiefs, assembly members, and youth associations.
It is part of the scaled-up campaign by the NGO to bring down child abuse and neglect.
Dr. Oppong indicated that any society that did not to take deliberate steps to protect children and to aid them to grow into responsible adults was bound to fail.
He called for the people to be bold to report to the appropriate authorities those who showed cruelty to children or physically abused them.
Issues bothering on child marriage and neglect, child labor and other forms of practices harmful to their health should not be condoned.
He said his organization was working with the department of children, the police and community-based organizations to safeguard the rights of children.
He announced that it had within the last two years recued 10 minors from forced marriages.
He added that the victims, had undergone the necessary psychological and emotional treatment and resettled.
Dr. Oppong said it should not be lost on anybody that child abuse in whatever form, was unhelpful to their growth.
GNA
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