Discipline or Abuse: What happens when ‘Discipline’ becomes torture? A 12-Year-Old’s harrowing tale

To Parents and Caregivers: Learn and practice positive discipline—it builds trust, not fear Seek counseling support if you are struggling with anger or stress Remember: you can correct without causing pain To Schools and Teachers: Fully implement the ban on corporal punishment Engage trained professional counsellors at the basic school level Develop alternative discipline methods that respect children's dignity To Community Leaders and Traditional Authorities: Use your influence to speak out against child abuse Support Community Child Protection Committees in identifying and reporting abuse Promote positive parenting through community forums and dialogue To Government and Policymakers: Repeal Articles 13(2) of the Children's Act and 41 of the Criminal Offences Act to remove the "reasonable correction" defence Pass legislation explicitly prohibiting all corporal punishment in all settings Resource DOVVSU and the Department of Social Welfare for effective enforcement Ensure every basic school has a trained professional counsellor Roll out nationwide sensitisation campaigns in rural languages Healing and Hope: Akosua's Future Akosua is now in a safe place.

Key interventions include: Economic empowerment of caregivers through income-generating assistance, addressing poverty as a root cause of family stress and separation Positive parenting training promoting non-violent discipline techniques Literacy programmes tailored to local contexts Strengthening community-based child protection committees, with 15 committees to be trained under the project Empowering eight civil society organisations to advocate for children's rights Emergency support for disaster-prone communities "Advocacy is not a one-off journey," said Gloria Emeka, National Advocacy Advisor at SOS Ghana.

The 2023 Ghana Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey found that approximately 22 per cent of children aged 1 to 14 are subjected to violent discipline, including physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.