Sekondi, June 30, GNA - Mr John Hackman, Western Regional Director of the Department of Children, on Monday called on parents and guardians to make the education of their wards a top priority, to reduce poverty in future. He made the call at the Regional celebration of the Africa Union (AU) Day of the African Child, under the theme; "Africa Fit for Children: Call for Accelerated Action towards their survival", at Sekondi.

Mr. Hackman said it is only when parents and guardians take advantage of the country's educational opportunities to acquire skills and develop their talents that poverty could be reduced. He noted that while some parents and guardians are genuinely poor and finding it difficult to take care of their children, others are simply shirking their responsibilities and urged those doing so to change their attitude.

Mr. Hackman said one peculiar feature of the day is child participation, which is a right enshrined in the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, the convention on the Rights of the Child and the country's 1998 Children's Act.

He said this is because child protection and development would be a mirage if society does not create the platform for children to participate in matters affecting their welfare.

Mr. Hackman said in Africa children are seen not heard, and Elders make decisions for them and a child who is vocal is said to be disobedient.

He said some cultural practices including female genital mutilation, trokosi and scarification, among others, are perpetuated on children to preserve the sanctity of customs and traditions. Mr. Hackma said "these things go a long way to affect the welfare of the African Child and must be stopped".

He said this year's celebration would focus on awareness creation of the major challenges of child survival, such as child mortality, nutrition, education, orphan as well as vulnerable situations, and child protection issues such as child labour, child trafficking, effects of conflicts on children, violence and abuse against children, among others.

Some pupils of selected Junior High Schools who participated in the celebration called on African governments to ratify the charter on the Rights of the Child and the Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa, to secure the basic rights of the African Child to life, survival and security.

They said the leaders must implement the provisions of these instruments by taking accelerated actions to invest in agriculture, in order to protect the continent's children against poverty, hunger, lack of education and violence.

The children spoke against streetism and rape, and called on the government to provide social services for street children to curb social vices. 3