Child Right Organization Pushes for Orphanage Shutdown

A Non-Governmental Organization advocating for the rights of less privileged children has asked government to initiate measures which would result in the complete shutdown of orphanages in the country by the year 2020.

The organization “OAfrica”, known previously as OrphanAid Africa, has however proposed the need to raise under privileged children in extended families other than enrolling them in orphanages.

The recommendation, contained in a press release issued in Accra, came after an undercover investigation by Anas Aremeway Anas which highlights the plight of some children at the Countryside Children’s Welfare Home at Bawjiase in the Central Region.

Miracle Mensah Damankwah, Development Manger of OAfrica, condemning abuse at the children’s home indicated the organization has released GHC 117,000 to the Gender and Social Protection Ministry in resettling victims into “family based care”.

She said government and Non-governmental organizations should focus on strengthening support systems such as provision of scholarships and education to orphans instead of directing resources to support “unscrupulous orphanages.”

Mrs Damankwah appealed to the Gender and Social Protection Ministry to extend the Livelihood Empowerment against Poverty (LEAP) programme to families that are prepared to accept children living in orphanages back to their homes.

government and Non-governmental organizations should focus on strengthening support systems for orphans

As part of strategies to help achieve the target of eradicating all orphanages, she noted that “the department of Social Welfare needs to run training programmes for social workers, police and courts on rescuing children from orphanages and resettle them in family care with minimum trauma.”  

The Development Manager also stated that the Department of Social Welfare should undertake a new data collection exercise on orphanages so it could be abreast with operations of such care-giving institutions.

OAfrica also highlighted training and awareness for the general public so individuals would appreciate the importance of caring for their own children while abusive orphanage owners are tried and jailed.

The organization has also called on international Agencies such as the United Nations Children Education Fund (UNICEF) to support the Department of Social Welfare to close down illegal orphanages and provide support for families to care for their children.