"Face of Tertiary" beauty pageant

Accra, June 27, GNA - Brein Consult, organisers of "Face of Tertiary" beauty pageant, on Friday launched the 2009 edition of the show, with a call on

all Ghanaians to help in the fight against child trafficking. The pageant, which would attract beauty queens from tertiary institutions,

would be on the theme: "Defining a Role for Tertiary Institutions in Eradicating

Child Trafficking in Ghana", is slated for October 20. Addressing the press at the launch, Madam Christiana Nandara, Executive

Director of Brein Consult, said the pageant was a novelty that sought to produce

beauty queens who would use their beauty and intelligence to propagate a worthy cause. She said the high rate of child trafficking in the country motivated her to

make it the theme for this year's pageant. "In recent times, it has been estimated that 40 per cent of all children in the

country are engaged in some form of economic activity including the worst

forms of child labour," Madam Nandara explained. Ms Florence Quartey, a representative of the Ministry of Women and

Children's Affairs (MOWAC), said child trafficking was a child right and developmental issue, which needed urgent attention. "It requires an action oriented research, multidimensional policy measures

and aggressive operational responses." She cited poverty, weak governance, armed conflicts and lack of effective

protection against discrimination and exploitation as some of the root causes of

the menace. Mr Daniel Dugan, former Deputy Minister of the MOWAC, urged the beauty

queens to arm themselves with the needed information in order to fight a good

cause. "You should know that it is illegal to take a picture of an under-aged person

without the consent of the parent. You might be sued." He also called on tertiary institutions to set up a unit where research could be

conducted into issues which needed national attention and offer recommendation

to government.