Accra, Aug. 31, GNA - Madam Marta Santos Pais, Special Representative of UN Secretary-General on Violence Against Children, on Tuesday called on the Government to ratify the UN Protocol on Child Pornography and Prostitution.

"If Ghana would be the first country in Africa to ratify this protocol, it would encourage other African countries to follow suit," she said.

Madam Pais made the call during a courtesy call on Mr Enoch Teye Mensah, Minister of Employment and Social Welfare, in Accra.

She noted that Ghana's ratification of the protocol in addition to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Children would help the country to effectively handle issues pertaining to children.

Nadam Pais expressed concern about the level of violence against children, particularly in rural areas and asked government to tackle the issue with the needed attention.

Mr Mensah said government was collating information on how best it could introduce the child support policy practiced in developed countries into the country.

"We are still studying how best we can get parents who do not support their children to pay child support and also set up receptive centres for trafficked children," he said.

Mr Mensah pledged government's support towards the fight against all forms of violence against children and called on stakeholders to come on board.