The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection has outlined activities to take stock of the achievements, challenges and the way forward for the Child and Family Welfare Policy (CFWP) as it commemorates the 2020 National Children’s Day.

The Day, instituted on August 31, 1979 is a key activity of the then Ghana National Commission of Children (GNCC), which was established to see to the general welfare and development of children.

The GNCC was converted to the Department of Children by the GNCC Repeal Act, 2005 (Act 701) as an implementing department responsible for implementing programmes and projects for the survival, protection, participation and development of children.

A statement issued in Accra and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Thursday said the day would be observed to co-ordinate all essential services countrywide and promote the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child.

It said the celebration was expected to be carried out at the regional and national levels with awareness creation on the need for the public to act now to protect children from teenage pregnancy, human trafficking and other forms of abuse amidst COVID-19.

It noted that on Friday, August 28, the Ministry would hold a community sensitisation programme on the need to end human trafficking at the Komenda Edina Aguafo Abirem Municipal Assembly in the Central Region.

On August 31 the Ministry would hold a national stakeholder’s forum on this year’s theme: “Five Years of Implementing the CFWP; the Achievement, Challenges and the Way Forward,” in Accra.

The Ministry congratulated all stakeholders who had delivered on their role in the Policy to ensure the strengthening of the child and family welfare system in Ghana.

"We further urge all to continue to strive for a better Ghana for our children. Our children need protection now more than ever during this COVID-19 era.”

“We must all endeavour to protect them by ensuring they adhere to the COVID-19 prevention protocols and ensure that they continue to learn whilst at home."