By Gideon D. Ebbah, GNA
Agogo (Ash), Aug 20, GNA - Teachers have been urged to lead the campaign against child abuse and domestic violence against children in the communities in which they work.
Ms Barbara Asare, Campaigns Coordinator of World Vision in Ghana (WV-G), who made the call, said the presence of teachers in almost every community and the leadership role they played put them in a unique position to intervene and promote the welfare of children, especially in rural communities.
Speaking at a mini-durbar to create awareness among the youth of the Asante Akim North District on the UNICEF U-Report initiative at Agogo, she said teachers had a responsibility to be part of collective efforts to reduce child abuse in communities.
The durbar which attracted students from the Agogo State College and Collins Senior High School, was to create awareness of the U-Report, which is a digital platform for the youth to receive and share information on issues that affected their lives in their communities, country and the world.
Ms Asare pointed out that issues such as child labour, early child marriages, child trafficking, child molestation and others, were rampant in communities and there was the need for a strong community advocacy to stop them.
“Teachers’ voices and influences are always measurable both in the education and upbringing of children in the society. They could also help in the empowering of children and the young people to be abreast with their rights and participate in the handling of issues that concern them in their communities,” she stated.
She said the UNICEF U-Report was a global initiative to help engage young people to share and receive information on issues and matters that were of importance to them in their communities, nation and the world.
It operates on SMS and digital platform such as Facebook, twitter, WhatsApp, among others, to allow the youth to speak out on issues that bothered them or existed in their communities in order for UNICEF to relay those issues to the relevant government departments for action and planning for change and improvement.
Ms Asare said the focus of the U-Report platform was to bridge the gap that existed particularly between young people and their decision making bodies and authorities at the local and national level.
She called on teachers to support the cause of the initiative by educating and helping their students to sign on to the programme.
Mr Samuel Kofi Amewonye, Head of Physical Education Department of the Agogo State College, commended World Vision and UNICEF for the initiative, adding that it would enhance the youth’s participation, trust and confidence in the government, both at the local and national levels.
GNA
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