Komenda ban funerals over rising teenage pregnancy

The Komenda Traditional Council has banned funerals and wake-keeping over the rising teenage pregnancy in the area.

Omanhene of Komenda, Nana Kojo Kru, says the traditional council will be delegating sub-chiefs and queen mothers to monitor the rate of teenage pregnancies in the respective communities after they hold an emergency meeting on the issue.

Komenda, located in Central Region capital Cape Coast, is bounded on the east by Elmina, on the west by Sham and, on the north by Wasa.

“Wake-keeping and such things we have banned all of them from this area so that [teenage girls] will not attend these events,” said the Komenda paramount chief.

A recent UNICEF report revealed that Cape Coast, the Central Region capital, is leading in child prostitution cases in Ghana.

“We have realized that this [funerals and wake-keepings] is the problem. This is the only way to solve the problem because we can’t control the feelings of people”, Nana Kojo Kru said.

Meanwhile, a UNICEF-PPAG collaboration is set to help reduce child prostitution in the area.

Child prostitutes in the metropolis would be mobilised and given vocational training to help them generate income.

Poverty has been identified as the main factor forcing teenage girls to engage in prostitution.

Source: myjoyonline.com Regional News - 15th September, 2015.

(This picture is not associated with the above article).

A summary of the rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child - Part B

Article 7 
(Registration, name, nationality, care): All children have the right to a legally registered name,
officially recognised by the government. Children have the right to a nationality (to belong to a country).
Children also have the right to know and, as far as possible, to be cared for by their parents.

Article 8 
(Preservation of identity): Children have the right to an identity – an official record of who they
are. Governments should respect children’s right to a name, a nationality and family ties.

Article 9 
(Separation from parents): Children have the right to live with their parent(s), unless it is bad
for them. Children whose parents do not live together have the right to stay in contact with both parents,
unless this might hurt the child.

Article 10 
(Family reunification): Families whose members live in different countries should be allowed
to move between those countries so that parents and children can stay in contact, or get back together as
a family.

Article 11 
(Kidnapping): Governments should take steps to stop children being taken out of their own
country illegally. This article is particularly concerned with parental abductions. The Convention’s Optional
Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography has a provision that concerns
abduction for financial gain.

Article 12 
(Respect for the views of the child): When adults are making decisions that affect children,
children have the right to say what they think should happen and have their opinions taken into account.
This does not mean that children can now tell their parents what to do. This Convention encourages
adults to listen to the opinions of children and involve them in decision-making -- not give children
authority over adults. Article 12 does not interfere with parents' right and responsibility to express their
views on matters affecting their children. Moreover, the Convention recognizes that the level of a child’s
participation in decisions must be appropriate to the child's level of maturity. Children's ability to form and
express their opinions develops with age and most adults will naturally give the views of teenagers
greater weight than those of a preschooler, whether in family, legal or administrative decisions.

Article 12 
(Respect for the views of the child): When adults are making decisions that affect children

Online souce:

http://www.unicef.org/crc/files/Rights_overview