The second annual Summit of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP) held in Accra in collaboration with Stakeholders. The both parties pledged their support towards advocacy for mobilising financial resources also to address issues of children and the vulnerable.
They admitted that the COVID-19 pandemic had brought to a sharp focus, the plight of children and the vulnerable with increased cases of rape, Gender-Based Violence (GBV), child marriages, defilement, and human trafficking among others.
Hence, there was the need to strengthen the partnership and focus on “Promoting and Protecting the Welfare of the Vulnerable”.
Ms Freda Prempeh, the Deputy Minister of the Gender, Children and Social Protection Ministry, at the opening, said 2020, had been an extremely challenging year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
She said the three-day Summit, would help assess the extent of implementation of its 2020 work plan, and address key emerging issues identified during the implementation of its policy interventions.
The Deputy Minister called for strengthened stakeholder collaboration to enable the Ministry to perform its mandate while encouraging their support to develop further strategies to ensure child safety.
The Executive Secretary of National Council of Persons Living With Disability, Madam Esther Akua Gyamfi, made known at the summit that out of the 30 million population of Ghana 41% of Ghanaians have mental health problems which must be a great concern to as a country.
To her mental health is a global matter and therefore there is the need to promote multi stakeholders collaboration to advance districts, regional and national efforts in favour of mental health.
Delivering her presentation at the summit organised by the ministry of Gender Children and Social Protection under the theme “Promoting and Protecting the welfare of the Vulnerable “,Madam Esther Akua Gyamfi said Ghana needs it’s citizenry to be strong as a society.
“Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices,” she added.
Madam Esther Akua Gyamfi, the Executive Secretary of National Council of persons living with disability concluded that Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.
Report by Bernard K DADAZE