DOVVSU has no single vehicle - Ashanti regional coordinator decries

Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) in the Ashanti Region says, the lack of resources especially vehicles is thwarting their fight against child abuse.

According to Ashanti Regional Coordinator, DSP Susana Dery, the situation coupled with the poor working environment, does not help in providing good care for traumatised child victims.

“There is lack of logistics to enable the unit work effectively. It has no single vehicle at its disposal and very poor working environment which is not conducive for traumatized child victims to feel comfortable,” she said.

She was speaking at a symposium on the Day of the African Child in Kumasi, the region’s capital.

The UN convention on the rights of the child defines a child as a person less than 18 years. This international legal instrument on the right of the child, comprehensively provides for the right of children globally.

It encompasses the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of children and upholds the interdependency of rights.

Though Madam Dery was happy about the reduction of child abuse cases over the years, she says defilement, rape, incest abduction among others, still continue to expose children to danger.

Traditional practices such as female genital mutilation and the denial of access to deceased parents’ estate, are some problems faced by children in the country.

Madam Dery fingers government’s lack of political will to ensure the implementation of effective child protection laws by mandated institutions.

She stated the situation has also led to many unresolved child abuse cases in Ghana.

“These challenges include lack of resources and political will on the part of governments to ensure that the implementation of effective child protection laws by the mandated agencies to explain issues of child protection since the implementation of the protective demands of the law has to do with traditional values, beliefs and customs that conflict the law,” she said.

Head of Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Dr John Adabie Appiah, stressed compassion is crucial in unleashing children’s talents.

 “A child without compassion will die early, he’ll lose his abilities and skills,” he said.

The Day of the African Child is an opportunity to raise awareness for the need to improve the education of children living across Africa.

The symposium was under the theme,” Humanitarian Action in Africa-Children’s right first.”

It was organised by Compassion International.

Public Relations Officer, Dr Ike Tandoh says the organisation, which has been working in seven of the 16 regions of Ghana, is making sure each Ghanaian child is released from poverty.

“We look at the spiritual, the cognitive, the spiritual and we look at the health and child protection issue so the child is holistically developed,” he said.