A non-governmental organization, dedicated to the protection and promotion of the welfare of children has called on Assemblies to enact and strengthen bye-laws that would help address issues of child prostitution and sexual violence in their communities.

The Defence for Children International (DCI) Ghana, urged the Metropolitan, Municipal and District assemblies to endeavor to factor into their annual budgets and planning schemes, child protection and social welfare programmes, to enable their child protection units, effectively monitor the welfare of children in their areas.

Mr. Martin Opoku Sekyere, Project Coordinator of DCI Ghana, made the call at a sensitization programme organized for selected representatives from the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), Asokore Mampong Municipal Assembly, Champions of Change and other key stakeholders involved in child welfare and protection in Kumasi.

The aim was to help identify ways they could include child protection programmes in their 2020 annual budgets and action plans.

Mr Opoku Sekyere pointed out that programmes like community sensitization involving child and adolescent protection toolkits was one easier way for assemblies to achieve child-related issue targets.

He advised stakeholders to rally behind initiatives that bothered on protection of children to be able to churn out responsible adults in society.

Alhaji Ibrahim Ibn, Member of the Champions of Change, a project of DCI Ghana, urged the assemblies to include counseling services support for victims of sexual violence.

They should also come out with more insightful programmes to encourage children to be able to speak out when they were being abused in their communities.