Bad parenting part of girl child abuse-WILDAF

 

Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF), a Pan Africa Women's Rights network has slammed parents for being a contributing factor to the rampant act of rape, defilement and child abuse in the Ghanaian society.

Speaking at the inauguration of Kokrobitey M/A Basic School Girls Empowerment Club in the Ga South Municipality in the Greater Accra Region, Ms. Abigail Edem Hunu, 
Program Officer in charge of the Girls' Empowerment Project at WiLDAF, said some parents seem to prioritize funerals and other public events over the welfare of their wards.

According to her, poverty is not the main cause of early child marriage but prioritization of the needs of their wards has also been the cause.

She added that exhibiting parental love, care and guidance should be the priorities of parents to enable children feel parental love.

She said most of the time, the emotional needs of children are largely ignored by parents focusing much on the physical needs.

The launch of the Girls Empowerment Club is expected to benefit girls within the ages of 10 to 16 and empower them on child rights, Gender, Gender Based violence, sexual and reproductive health and rights.

But, surprisingly invited parents failed to turn up for the event. Lamenting over the low turnout, she said “the situation is very worrying and not encouraging”.
She was quick to add that previous observations have shown that parents take pride in ensuring academic education for their wards without parental supervision.

She said, it is imperative that parents are conversant with the kind of friendship their wards engage in.
“Parenting has a role to play in the high rate of girl child abuse” she said, adding that just school enrollment is insufficient to ensure a better future for the girl child.

Ms.  Hunu said foreign contents on the various electronic media platforms that are supposed to be exclusively for adults are being viewed by children due to lack of parental care.

She, however said the perception about girl child empowerment isn’t a move to take the responsibility of men but rather equal right to all.

Atinkaonline.com|Simon Agbovi|[email protected]

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