Ghana to be first in the world to partner $5m US Child Protection Compact
The United States (US) government is considering Ghana as the first partner country in the world for its Child Protection Compact Partnership (CPC Partnership), the US Ambassador to Ghana, Gene Cretz has announced.
Mr. Cretz said in a keynote address at the launch of the International Justice Mission (IJM) office in Ghana February 25, 2015, that Ghana is being considered as the first country in the world to jointly develop with the US, a multi-year plan to implement new and more effective policies and programmes to reduce child trafficking and improve child protection in Ghana.
“The Partnership aims to bolster the current efforts of the Government of Ghana and civil society organizations to address child sex trafficking and forced child labor in Ghana. The partnership would be a five-year, $5 million innovative effort to combat child trafficking,” he said.
According to the Ambassador, Ghana’s selection was based in part on the Ghana Government’s commitment to partner with the United States and the strength of NGOs and international organizations working to combat modern-day slavery in the country.
He also noted that the Cabinet of the Government of Ghana’s recent approval of a memorandum for the ratification of the 1993 Hague Convention on Inter-Country Adoptions; amendment of the Children’s Act; and, establishment of the Child and Family Welfare Policy confirmed that Ghana is the right partner for the CPC Partnership.
The IJM office in Ghana is the organization’s 18th global office.
By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi