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Support Street-connected Children- WUZDA Tells Gender Minister

 

 

The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection has been admonished to consider putting in place measures that will offer street-connected children access to basic services such as education, healthcare and protection.

The above call is premised on how vulnerable children struggle to access the above essential services, owing to the fact that “they have not been captured well enough onto the country’s data.

In an official statement copied to the office of www.leakynews.net, Executives of WUZDA Ghana indicated that access to the services in question has become very hard for them as healthcare and child protection systems are overstretched.

Below is a copy of the press statement;

ALL PRESS HOUSES

 

12th April, 2020

FOR IMMIDIATE RELEASE
INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR STREET CHILDREN 2021
THEME: ACCESS TO SERVICES FOR STREET CHILDREN

As the world is celebrating the International Day for Street Children, we are drawing the attention of government to the importance of taking action and maximum efforts so that the street-connected children can access the services they are entitled to, both during this pandemic and as we navigate an exit from it.
All children have the right to access essential services such as education, healthcare and protection services, no matter where they call home. Street children, already vulnerable before the onset of the pandemic, have always struggled to access these essential services, because they have not been captured well enough in the nation’s data.
During the pandemic, street children, more than anytime, need access to these services even. Pushed to the margins, they have seen their livelihoods disappear, their health put at risk and they are faced with rules and restrictions on being out in public spaces. At the same time, access to these needed services has become harder as healthcare and child protection systems are overstretched.
As we commemorate the International Day for Street Children, we as voluntary organizatios working to support the street connected children write to ask the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection to put street and homeless children and youth at the centre of their response during and after the Covid-19 pandemic, through the following actions:
1. Ensure that all policies, strategies and activities are directed towards street children having access to essential services, including education, child protection and healthcare during the pandemic when access is already restricted.
2. Remove barriers for street children to access essential services, such as requirements to be registered, have identity documents or a fixed address in order to access services.
3. Prioritise investment in access to essential services for street children as they also face the difficult times of recovery from the pandemic.
WUZDA Ghana and its partners under the local Coalition of NGOs for Street Children including Muslim Family Counselling Services have done a lot for the street connected children in the past few days as we mark the IDSC to help them realise a better future.

Please do not hesitate to contact WUZDA Ghana on wunzalgu2004@yahoo.com the Muslim Family Counselling Services on mfcsashanti@gmail.com 0262191950 and the Consortium for Street Children on advocacy@streetchildren.org for support in putting in place measures to keep street and homeless children and the youth safe.
We hope the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection will take this opportunity to demonstrate our country’s commitment to protecting all children and to prioritize investment in essential services for street children.
Thank you.

Source; www.leakynews.net

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