Ministry of Gender drawing mandate to guide official activities

Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection has said her Ministry is in the process of drawing up an institutional mandate, which would serve as a guide to its activities.

“The Ministry was created to ensure gender equality through the mainstreaming of gender considerations, promote the welfare and protection of children and empower the vulnerable,” Nana Oye Lithur said.

She made this known when she visited some institutions under her Ministry including the Shelter for Abused Children and Remand Home and the Osu Children’s Home.

The Shelter for Abused Children and Remand Home comprise four institutions, including the Boys Remand Home, Girls Correctional Centre, and Shelter for Abused Children and La South Vocational Training Centre.

Mrs Georgina Mensah, Manageress, Shelter for Abused Children and Remand Home, noted that some children abscond from the facility due to lack of security and higher walls to deter the temptation.

She said the Shelter, which was established by UNICEF, has 23 inmates, and served as a temporal home for them.

Mrs Mensah said there are 106 girls in the vocational school and most of them struggle to pay their fees.

“Also we have 36 inmates at both the Shelter for Abused Children and the Remand Home and its sad to note that that institutions could receive as low GH¢500 a year from Government to cater for their expenditure.”

Nana Oye Lithur urged the inmates to live upright lifestyles and take their education seriously.

Mrs Sharon Abbey, Head, Osu Children’s Home, called for more staff to cater for the growing number of children, which stood at 160.

She appealed to Government to provide the Home with the services of a psychologist and a physiotherapist.

In an open forum, the staff called for special care for children with special needs such as those with mental challenges, the provision of more computers and payment of night allowance.