The Minister for Gender, Children, and Social Protection, Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, has reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to advancing gender equality and child rights to create a safe haven for children.
She said this when she formally received the Dakar Girls’ Summit Declaration on behalf of the President of the Republic of Ghana during the National Commemoration of World Children’s Day held on Friday in Accra.
“The Dakar Declaration is not just a document – it is a moral call. Ghana is fully committed to ensuring that every girl can learn, lead, and thrive without fear, limitation, and discrimination,” she said.
She said the Declaration aligns with Ghana’s national priorities, including investments in girls’ education, protection from violence and harmful practices, access to health, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) services, digital inclusion as well as girls’ economic empowerment.
The Minister emphasized the need to honor, protect, and preserve children across all ages, noting that the future of society, 60 years from now, would rest in the hands of today’s children hence the called for continued investment in safe, nurturing environments that support their growth and wellbeing.
She emphasized that the voices of children and adolescents would continue to shape Ghana’s policy direction, noting that the country remains steadfast in upholding its legacy as the first Nation to ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).
The Declaration, developed at the Dakar Girls’ Summit through consultations across 24 West and Central African countries, reflects the priorities and demands of adolescent girls across the region.
Ghana was represented by a multi-sectoral delegation, including six adolescents, the Director of Gender, a Member of Parliament and Chairperson of the Gender and Children’s Committee, academia, and UNICEF’s Adolescent and Gender Lead and Education Officer.
Priscilla Osei-Wusu Nimako, ISD
