Accra: Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, the Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, has called for enhanced national systems and improved institutional collaboration to prevent the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict. She emphasized that child protection efforts should extend beyond addressing the consequences of conflict, focusing instead on early identification of vulnerabilities and strengthening mechanisms to prevent victimization.
According to Ghana News Agency, Dr Agyeman-Rawlings made these remarks at the opening of a two-day inaugural meeting of the Multi-Stakeholder Working Group on the implementation of the Vancouver Principles in Ghana. The event, organized by the National Peace Council (NPC) and the Dallaire Institute, took place in Accra on Thursday. The meeting was convened to review and validate the Group's terms of reference, establish a governance structure, elect leadership, and define next steps towards drafting a comprehensive National Vancouver Principles Implementation Strategy.
The Multi-Stakeholder Working Group comprises representatives from various sectors, including the NPC, the Dallaire Institute for Children, Peace and Security, security institutions, Ministries, Departments and Agencies, Parliament, academia, civil society, development partners, and international organizations. The Vancouver Principles, launched by Canada in 2017, are 17 political commitments aimed at protecting children in United Nations peacekeeping missions and preventing their recruitment and use by armed forces and armed groups. These principles emphasize prevention across the conflict cycle, including early warning, operational planning, specialized training, monitoring, and reporting, as well as child-protection coordination.
Dr Agyeman-Rawlings, who is also the Member of Parliament for Korle Klottey, highlighted Ghana's relative peace since its return to democratic rule over three decades ago. However, she cautioned against complacency, noting that the country operates within a region affected by violent extremism, terrorism, organized crime, and political instability. She pointed out that conflicts in parts of the Sahel could extend beyond conflict zones, increasing the vulnerability of young people to recruitment. Therefore, she called for stronger systems to protect children.
She stressed the importance of Parliament in ensuring that institutions responsible for national security and child protection have appropriate legal frameworks, resources, training, and accountability mechanisms. As the elected Chairperson of the Working Group, Dr Agyeman-Rawlings urged members to adopt an anticipatory rather than reactive approach by identifying vulnerabilities, strengthening early-warning systems, building institutional capacity, and incorporating child protection into security policies, training, planning, and operations.
Dr Agyeman-Rawlings warned against allowing the Group to become just another platform for periodic meetings without translating discussions into coordinated action. She called for clear responsibilities, realistic timelines, and mechanisms for monitoring, accountability, and coordination. The ultimate test of Ghana's implementation efforts, she said, would be whether the systems established could protect a child before becoming a victim of conflict. Protecting children from recruitment and use in armed conflict is not only a child-protection obligation but also an investment in peace, national security, and the future resilience of society.
Dr George Amoh, Executive Secretary of the NPC, stated that implementing the Vancouver Principles presents Ghana with an opportunity to institutionalize child protection within its national peace and security architecture. He emphasized the need for the initiative to link community-level early warning signals to national policy and strategic action, particularly amid emerging security risks, including localized disputes, cross-border vulnerabilities, and violent extremism.
Mr Arsene Mukendi Tshidimu, Project Director of the Vancouver Principles in Sub-Saharan Africa Project at the Dallaire Institute, cautioned that protecting children from armed conflict should not be treated solely as a child-protection concern but as a peacebuilding, security, governance, and development issue. He noted that the establishment of the Working Group reflects Ghana's commitment to strengthening peace, security, good governance, and the protection of vulnerable populations, particularly children and youth. Mr Tshidimu highlighted the Dallaire Institute's work over the past three years in training military and police personnel, supporting pre-deployment training, engaging policymakers, and strengthening collaboration with the NPC, demonstrating Ghana's potential to emerge as a regional leader in the Children, Peace, and Security agenda.