Orphanages Not Answer To Street Children - Forum

Accra, Aug 12, - Participants at the national forum on street children said today that orphanages or institutionalisation is not the best answer to keeping children off the streets. They were of the view that ''foster parenting which is part of our culture and child adoption should rather be encouraged'', in addition to poverty alleviation programmes that will provide homes with regular and stable incomes. They expressed these views during the plenary session after Professor Nana Apt (ed. correct), chairperson of ''RESPONSE'', an NGO delivered a paper on ''Child Streetism in Ghana''. The forum which is a follow-up to last year's is aimed at sensitizing district assemblies to increase support for deprived children, particularly street children. It is being organised by the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare and RESPONSE with funds from UNICEF. Prof Nana Apt said funds given to these institutions should rather be given to families that are ready to take on one or two of such children. ''Why not give the money to well meaning couples prepared to take care of these children rather than put them in a make-belief village.'' She said these children when they are of age are unable to assimilate into the society. ''They are insecure, have a low esteem of themselves and invariably go back to these institutions because they grew up in an environment where everything was provided for them.'' Prof Apt who is also the director of the Centre for Social Policy, University of Ghana, said the operations of these institutions should be re-examined and expressed concern about the rate at which they are springing up all over the country. Professor Apt gave an overview of the problem since the 1950s and noted that the problem is getting out of hand since these children are now having babies on the streets. ''Apart from a few abandoned ones, almost all the street children have roots, they have some sort of family ties. However, the problem will become insurmountable when we begin to have a generation of children born on the streets.'' She called on all stakeholders to seriously tackle the problem now before it gets out of hand, saying street children are harmless and not dangerous. It is only when they get exposed to crime and violence that they are compelled to change. ''On the streets, they get connected to gangs or groups for protection and support each other in times of danger or ill health. Unfortunately they have to pay back with money or with sex particularly the girls''. Prof Apt also called on district assemblies to find a solution to certain cultural norms that compel children particularly girls from the northern part of Ghana to leave their homes. Mrs Estelle Appiah, senior state attorney, Ministry of Justice, conceded that there was a legal vacuum in the area of operation of orphanages. However, in the proposed Children's bill to be sent to Parliament this year, such institutions both old and new will be required by law to obtain licence from the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare.