Tema, Exposure of children to psychological and physical danger in some media is unacceptable, the Social Workers Association of Ghana (SWAG) has noted.
They have also petitioned the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection to stop those media houses.
The Petition signed by Mr Divine A. K. Exorgbe, President of SWAG available to the Ghana News Agency indicated that most of these media houses were often seen to be handling cases such as maintenance, paternity, child custody, and other child-related cases without recourse to policies, and guidelines, as well as laws protecting and promoting the rights of children.
“The Social Workers Association of Ghana has observed that practice and wishes to bring it to your attention for those media houses to be called to order.
“We however acknowledge the great contributions the media plays in nation building which amongst others include information sharing, education, and entertainment of which Children are also beneficiaries,” it stated.
SWAG stated that the media could serve as a partner in promoting and protecting the rights of children by bringing such cases to the attention of both mandated state institutions, and certified non-governmental organisations tasked to provide those services.
The Association also called on government to heavily resource the Department of Social Welfare and all Social Welfare Agencies at the Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies especially with vehicles in order to follow up on such cases.
They noted that globally, children were seen as the future of humanity and, therefore, needed to be cared for and protected due to their ingenuity and vulnerability.
This, they noted has necessitated the enactment of international and local legislations like the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child; Children’s Acts, 560 of 1998, Juvenile Justice Act, 653 of 2003, and other child related policies that clearly spell out how cases involving children were to be handled.
“Social Workers, some security services, Judicial Service, and other institutions have been professionally trained to assist in managing cases of child and family welfare in nature (Child Maintenance, Child Custody and Child Access, Paternity, Family Welfare, Juvenile Justice, General Welfare amongst others), to purposely promote and protect the interest of children.
These institutions, SWAG stated have over the years diligently performed their statutory duties in accordance with the Constitution of Ghana, and the relevant laws, ensuring that such cases were handled in camera without the involvement of others who were not a party to the various individual cases.
This, they stated has significantly gone a long way to improve and enhance family unity and secure the future of our children.
Source: Ghana News Agency
