Children want 38 amendments in Juvenile Justice Act 2003

As part of measures to ensure that, their decisions are considered in the proposed Amendment of the children Act, Juvenile Justice Act and the Criminal Offences Act, five hundred and forty-five(545) children between the ages of 10 and 17 selected from child Rights clubs existing in the schools, girls and youth advocates, school children in the Junior High school and out of school children have put together Thirty-Eight(38) suggestions for the Members of Parliament(MPs) to consider and factor in the proposed laws.

Keren Ataa Nkrumah, a member of National Youth Advocacy for Ashanti region with Girls Advocacy Alliance(GAA)),an NGO, before reading their recommendations to Parliament said “No person shall deprive a child capable of forming views the right to express an opinion, to be listened to and to participate in decisions which affect his well-being, the opinion of the child being given due weigh in accordance with the age and maturity of the Child”.

Children Act 1998(Act 560).According to her, the well-being and protection of children are ensured by these Acts, Children Act, Juvenile Justice Act and the Criminal Offences Act and others. Adding that since these Acts are under Amendment, children views are to be considered in the amendment of these Acts since they are protecting the children. She said as part of the effort for Children’s view to be considered in the amendment of the children Act, Juvenile Act and the Criminal Offences Act, DCI-Ghana organized focus group discussions for children to solicit their views and experiences on issues, Laws and things they will like to be included or amended in these laws. She revealed that, their report covers discussions held with 545 in and out of school children at Kumasi Metropolis, Asokore Mampong and Obuasi Municipalities.

According to her, out of the school children were selected randomly at lorry parks, markets and recreational centers, whilst the school children selected from the Child Right clubs existing in the schools within five communities, New Zongo under Asokore Mampong, Antobuasi, Ahansoyewodia, Estate in Obuasi Municipality and Tafo under Kumasi Metropolis. The spokesperson said out of 10 children who views were solicited,6 were females whilst the remaining 4 were males.”This was because the female population was higher than the male population in the selected areas.

Explaining that, DCI-Ghana staff facilitated the discussions and took notes on the views and experiences expressed by the children. Consent was sought from the families of children whose families could immediately be traced, headmasters, teachers and focal persons of the child rights clubs, friends in the case of the out of school children on the streets whose could not immediately be traced and the children themselves. She said efforts were made to present the views and experience expressed by the children without efforts focusing on how they expressed the views and experiences.

Keren Ataa Nkrumah listed 38 suggestions or recommendations by the children to be considered in the amended laws to include;”children should be able to choose their own careers; the law should capture the right for a child to choose his or her own career when they are in school”, the Acts should capture a law that prohibit children from selling, in education, children shouldn’t be forced to do what they don’t want to do”, the Acts should capture laws that will allow Junior High school children to write their BECE in their own schools like the SHSs do”, the Acts should capture laws that prohibit people from smoking in an environment where children are presents”. The acts should capture fair hearing of children; the Acts should set up a Juvenile correction centres by the government and District Assemblies”.

Other suggestions are; The Acts should capture and prohibit people from sending children to buy or sell illegal substance like”wee” and drugs on the child ignorance, children who are sent out of ignorance and arrested by the police should be free by the court, the acts should prohibit people from using sick or health children for begging on the street”, the Acts should prohibit child marriage among others.

As backgrounder:

DCI-Ghana operates to defend the Rights of the child by advocating for and disseminating policies that protect the Rights of children, building the capacities of child protection institutions and structures at national, district and community levels as well as empowering children for self-protection and overall development. DCI-Ghana based on its mission of establishment and under its current project,(GAAP) Girls Advocacy Alliance, held a focus group discussions with school and out of school children in Kumasi, Asokore Mampong and Obuasi Municipalities to solicit their views and experiences to be included in the amendment of the Children Act, Juvenile Justice Act and the Criminal Offences Act.

 

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