I.
INTRODUCTION
1. The African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child
(ACERWC) extends its compliments to the Government of Ghana and wishes to
acknowledge with thanks receipt of the initial report on the status of
implementation of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.
The Committee congratulates the State Party for sending an important high-level,
inter-ministerial delegation led by the Deputy Minister of Gender, Children and
Social Protection to discuss the Report during its twenty eight session held in
Banjul, The Gambia, from 21st October to 1st November 2016.
2. After considering the report from Ghana, the Committee has the honour to
forward to the Government of Ghana the following observations and
recommendations:
II.
PROGRESS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CHARTER
3. The Committee commends the State Party for a number of activities it has
undertaken with a view of creating systems and structures that enabled the
implementation of children’s rights. The Committee noted that since ratification
of the African Children’s Charter in 2005, various policies, legislations,
institutional reforms have been carried out including:
a. The formulation of policies that seek to facilitate the implementation of
children’s rights such as the Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy II
(GPRS) (2006-2009); Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda
(2009); National HIV & AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI)
Policy (2013); Draft Child and Family Welfare Policy (2013); and Draft
Justice for Children Policy (2014).
B. The promulgation of various legal instruments such as: the Human
Trafficking Act, 2005 (Act 694); Person with Disability Act, 2006 (Act 715);
The Domestic Violence Act, 2007 (Act 732); The Education Act, 2008
(Act778); and the Ghana National Commission On Children (Repealed)
Act, 2006 (Act 701).
AREAS OF CONCERN AND RECOMMENDATIONS
A. General Measures of Implementation
4. The Committee commends the Government of Ghana for the measures it has
taken in restructuring the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs and replace
by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection whose mandate
amongst others includes the promotion and protection of children’s rights with the
Department of Children of the Ministry responsible for coordinating and
monitoring all child rights related projects in the country.
5. Despite the creation of a dedicated department under the Ministry, the
Committee is concerned that widening the mandate of the Ministry could result in
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