Submitted by crinadmin on
Summary: Ghana ratified the Convention on the
Rights of the Child in February 1990.
The Initial State report was
submitted
to the Geneva based UN Committee
on the
Rights of the Child in 1995.
NATIONAL COALITION PROFILES
NAMES: GHANA NGO COALITION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD
(GNCRC)
COUNTRY: GHANA
REGION: AFRICA
BACKGROUND
Ghana ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child in
February
1990. The Initial State report was submitted to the Geneva
based UN
Committee on the Rights of the Child in 1995. Since then, the
government has shown a high degree of commitment to the
Convention by
implementing the UN Committee’s recommendations contained in
the
concluding observations. The most remarkable achievement is the
passing of the Children’s Act in 1998 that encompass all the laws
related to children and their rights. In 1992 Ghana came to the
end
of a democratisation process through a transition from a
military regime to a constitutional government. This transition has
provided an environment for the advancement of child rights and
human
rights work in general. However, the Structural Adjustment
Programme
and Economic Recovery Programmes currently being pursued,
have
worsened the economic situation of an already deplorable
condition for the poor masses, with children being the most
vulnerable. Social ties are also under threat due to urbanisation
and
rural-urban migration. Although there have been several
programmes to
raise awareness on the importance and value of good parenting,
many
parents and guardians have lost control over their children’s care.
‘Streetism’ among children is therefore high with the attendant
consequences being present, such as drug abuse, sexual and
physical
abuses and so on.
HISTORY OF THE NATIONAL COALITION
The Ghana coalition was formed in 1996 by a group of child
related
NGOs led by the Youth Development Foundation, saw the need to
be part
of the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the
Convention.
In keeping with Article 45a of the Convention, NGOs prepared an
Alternative report to the to the State report and submitted it to
the
UN Committee in October 1996. After this successful
accomplishment
GNCRC became a formal network in November 1996. NGOs
involved in the
preparation of the Alternative report, together with other civil
society groups concerned with children, formed the coalition.
STRUCTURE AND GOVERNANCE
GNCRC is a national network that covers all ten regions of the
country. Member organisations include a variety of NGOs, such as
child welfare, development and human rights agencies;
community based
organisations, associations, groups and clubs. There are
presently 35
members. The coalition consists of a General Assembly of the
entire
membership that meets at least once per year. At the helm is the
Executive Council of elected members to the positions of
Chairperson,
1 st Vice-Chair, 2 nd Vice-chair, and Treasurer. The executive
body
is responsible for ensuring the smooth running of the
coalition. There are four subcommittees on Issues, Capacity
Building,
Advocacy and Financing and seven regional co-ordinators. These
co-
ordinators provide efficient and effective management, co-
ordination
of child rights projects in each geographic region.
The sub-committees carry thematic projects and report to the
Executive Council. In addition to these structures, there are
written
guidelines to ensure proper governance and
redibility among members and external interests. Much of the
coalition’s funding comes from various national and international
sources. Successful partnerships have been forged with the
Ghana
National Commission on Children, Save the Children Alliance
members
and UNICEF.
CURRENT SITUATION
GNCRC has many achievements in its relatively short history.
Among
these are the preparation of the Alternative Report, enhancing
the
capacities of members and other civic groups in understanding
and
promoting child rights, as well as the creation of a national
network.
The mission is to seek, promote and protect the rights of the child
as enshrined in the Convention and other relevant legal
instruments.
The coalition is concerned with several issues, in particular child
labour, street children, and sexual abuse of girls and girl
child education. These issues are raised at several levels in
Ghana’s
society and form the substance of the coalition’s activities, which
include:
- The sensitisation of policy makers and stakeholders on child
rights
issues.
- Collaboration for the promotion of the Convention with
government
departments, inter-governmental agencies, donor agencies,
NGOs not in
the coalition, district assembles and community members.
- Activities with children aimed at enabling them to participate in
the promotion of their rights.
Contact: The Ghana National Coalition for the CRC
C/o Youth Development Foundation
P.O. Box 4941
Kumasi - Ghana
Tel: 233 51 29185/7
Fax: 233 51 23622
E-mail: [email protected].