Ministry, other collaborate on forced marriages

Page 14 (Pol), November 15, 2007

Story: Kweku Tsen & Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah.
THE Ministry of Women and Children Affairs is collaborating with the country’s law enforcement agencies to take measures to ensure the enforcement of laws relating to forced or early marriages, the sector Minister, Hajia Alima Mahama, told Parliament on Tuesday.
“ The Ministry will continue to promote initiatives for co-operation and collaboration of all sectors and stakeholdrs , especially the Ghana Education Service, Department of Social Welfare, Domestic Violence and Victims Support Units, district assemblies, NGOs, traditional authorities and community based organisations to ensure that our girls are protected from early, forced marriages,” she said.
Hajia Mahama, who was responding to a question from the Member of Parliament (MP) for South Dayi, Dr Kwame Ampofo, explained that sustained education on such matters alongside education on legislation would in the long run help to curb the problem of forced and under age marriages.
Dr Ampofo enquired from the minister the steps that her ministry had taken to put a stop to forced marriages of girls, especially those under age and in school.
According to Hajia Mahama, section 14 of the Children’s Act 1998, Act 560 states that “ No person shall force a child to be bethroted, subject of dowry transaction or married.
“ The sanction for contravening this provision is summary conviction to a fine not exceeding five million cedis, or a term of imprisonment not exceeding one year or both,” she said.
The Minister further explained that the ministry ensured that such information as contained in the Children’s Act and the Criminal Code Amendment Act, as well as the Principles of the 1992 Constitution , Chapter 28 of the Rights and Welfare of the Child, formed the basis of its advocacy, strategies, as with other policies and legislation on Child Rights.
“ Furthermore, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education , Ghana Education Service , UNICEF, World Food Programme and Civil Society Organisations, girl child friendly programmes which promote girl child education are implemented,” she said.
The minister mentioned some of the measures as the sensitisation programmes in the districts and communities on government policies and activities for increased school enrolment and regular briefings of parents and community members on the value of girl child education as against forced and early marriage.
She added that currently, 100 Community Child Protection teams had been established in the regions through which communities and parents had been sensitised to child rights issues and sometimes offenders were apprehended.
“ The promotion of girl-child education at all levels has ensured the enrolment and retention of girls in school and Ghana has achieved gender parity index of 0.97 enrolment at the basic school level,” Hajia Mahama said.
She gave the assurance that there was now an enhanced enabling environment with the passage of legislations on child protection, and with the vibrant NGO, Civil Society and the media monitoring and reporting on child abuses, and demanding appropriate responses.