CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
International discourse on human rights intensified after the second world war in 1948 when the nations of the world ratified the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UNHR) (Steiner, 2000). The Declaration was to ensure that all human beings, regardless of their age, sex, tribe, country of origin or socio-economic status are entitled to respect and enjoy human rights, simply on the basis of the fact that they are born human (Kiprotich & Ong’ondo, 2013). This general agreement that all human beings are entitled to some basic rights marked the beginning of international and universal recognition of human rights. Rights are basic standards or entitlements without which people cannot live with dignity. Thus, rights are deemed to be inherent, universal and inalienable. In simple terms, rights are said to be God-given (Ame, 2012).
One important group of right-holders is children. The concept of children’s rights was developed to protect children from abuse and neglect, to ensure the general welfare of all children, and to encourage children to participate in decisions that impact their lives (Manful & Manful, 2014), due to the peculiar nature of children as a social group. Children ’s rights, according to Sathiyraj & Jayaraman (2013), are fundamental freedoms and inherent entitlements, which should be accorded to all human beings below the age of eighteen (18) years.
One important human rights instrument specifically for children is the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), which was promulgated in 1989 (Apt et al,
2012; Hutchison, 2013). The UNCRC was derived from the primary assumption that children are a peculiar social group with a common and a universal set of entitlements and guarantees for children three basic rights. These are; the right to provision, that is, right to adequate nutrition, health care, education and economic welfare, the rights to protection, which means children are to be protected from all forms of abuse, neglect, violence, and exploitation, and finally, the right to participation, that is the need for children to be involved in decision-making especially in matters that concern them. These are referred to as the 3Ps of the UNCRC and by ratifying it, State Parties have the obligation to provide and protect these rights (Howe & Covell, 2010; Ame, 2011; Ame, 2012).
Ghana is reputed for being the first country to ratify the UNCRC in 1990 (Agbenyega, 2012; Twum-Danso, 2012; Hutchison, 2013) without any reservations. Kaime (2009) contends that the fact that Ghana was the first country to have ratified the UNCRC is a telling evidence of the country’s commitment for the cause of the rights and welfare of children in Ghana. This commitment was further exhibited through the constitutional provision made in Chapter 5 of the 1992 Constitution and the Children’s Act 1998 (Act 560), coupled with several other policies and legislations such as the Juvenile Justice Act 2003 (Act 653) and the Human Trafficking Act 2005 (Act 694). Besides, Ghana is also a signatory to the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child. Thus, Hutchison (2013), asserts that constitutionally, there are no barriers against children realising their rights in Ghana.
In spite of these policies and laws, the reality of lives of many children in Ghana remains in stark contrast with children’s rights provisions (Twum-Danso, 2012), including that of the UNCRC and the Children’s Act of Ghana. For example, many children are denied access to
education, deprived of their rights to be heard, and are subjected to various forms of physical, mental and sexual abuse (Twum-Danso, 2008; Mhaka-Mutepfa et al, 2014).
By ratifying the UNCRC, all signatory states are to take steps to ensure that all their citizens, including children, have awareness about children’s rights. Article 42 of the UNCRC enjoins States Parties to inform and educate their citizens, including children who are the bearers of the UNCRC on the principles and rights enshrined in the convention. It stipulates; States Parties undertake to make the principles and provisions of the Convention widely known, by appropriate and active means, to adults and children alike (UNCRC, Article 42).
Although several studies have been conducted on children’s rights in Ghana, the extent to which Ghana has fulfilled its obligations under Article 42, particularly for children, remains largely unexplored. The extent to which children in Ghana, especially, those in predominantly peri- urban and rural areas have been informed about their rights is unknown. Literature analysis indicates that studies that have been conducted on awareness on children’s rights were mainly carried out in urban cities, leaving a gap in the peri-urban and rural areas. This study, therefore, explored children’s awareness of their rights with a focus on children in peri-urban and rural areas, specifically, Aburi and Pokrom, all in the Akuapem South District of Ghana. The study further identified ways by which stakeholders could enhance children’s awareness of their rights in Aburi and Pokrom, from the perspectives of students in public Junior High Schools (JHSs).
Problem Statement
This study investigated whether children dwelling in peri-urban and rural areas have awareness about their rights. A review of literature indicates that even though studies have been conducted on children’s rights in Ghana (Twum-Danso, 2008; Kwarteng, 2012; Hutchison, 2013; Manful
& Manful, 2014), these studies focused on children dwelling in urban Ghana and also laid less emphasis on awareness of children’s rights from the perspectives of children themselves. As such, as to whether children dwelling in peri-urban and rural areas are aware of their rights or not, is unknown.
Mention is made of human rights in relation to adults (Wall, 2008), and therefore, although children constitute a significant proportion of the world’s population, their experiences of, and perspectives about human rights have not been comprehensively explored. Even though children are the ones who need maximum care and protection as a result of their vulnerability and peculiar nature as a social group, paradoxically, it is children who are more likely to be marginalised and unheard.
The adoption of the UNCRC by the United Nations General Assembly in 1989, created hope and expectation for a significant improvement and change in the lives of children worldwide (Twum-Danso, 2008). However, children’s rights are still being violated across countries, including Ghana. For instance, a study conducted by UNICEF in 2014 revealed that six (6) out of ten (10) children in the world experience physical violence in the home, two-hundred and fifteen (215) million children under seventeen (17) years are engaged in child labour whilst 22% to 50% of children worldwide have been victims of child trafficking.
Many children in Ghana are also confronted with innumerable challenges as many of them are denied access to education, deprived of their rights to be heard the right to be equipped with skills, the right live successful lives, and to make social contributions (Mhaka-Mutepfa et al, 2014). For example, according to the 2010 population and housing census, about six-hundred and twenty-three thousand, five-hundred (623,500) children of school going age were not enrolled in school and 25% of children with physical disabilities were also not attending school
(World Vision, 2017). Twum-Danso (2008), also asserts that many children are subjected to various forms of physical, mental, and sexual abuse, including defilement, abandonment, abduction, commercial exploitation and servitude. Article 3 of the UNCRC, states that children who are capable of making their opinions known should be consulted when decisions about their welfare are being taken. However, many children are not involved when decisions that impact their lives are being made but are subjected to the effects of these decisions. This because children are not regarded as competent and matured enough to make these kinds of decisions (Mhaka-Mutepfa et al, 2014). Consequently, many children are deprived of their childhood and denied the opportunity to realise their full potentials (Apt et al; Mhaka-Mutepfa et al, 2014).
While inadequate financial and human resources have been identified as impediments to the effective implementation and realisation of children’s rights in Ghana, lack of awareness, according to Twum-Danso (2012), remains a critical factor that tends to hinder the implementation of legal frameworks on children’s rights and the eventual realisation of children’s rights in Ghana. Therefore, for a successful realisation and implementation of children’s rights in Ghana, it is essential to explore if children, who are right-holders, are aware of their rights. As rightly stated by Kiprotich & Ong’ondo (2013), without awareness about children’s rights by children themselves, the realisation and implementation of children’s rights may be impossible. It is in line with this, that this study sought to explore children’s awareness of their rights, with a focus on Junior High school (JHS) students in Aburi and Pokrom, a peri- urban and a rural community respectively, in the Akuapem South District of Ghana.
Research Objectives
- To explore the knowledge that children in Aburi and Pokrom have about their rights.
- To identify factors that hinder the realization of children’s rights in Aburi and Pokrom.
- To find out how children in Aburi and Pokrom could benefit from knowing about their rights.
- To explore ways by which stakeholders could enhance knowledge about children’s rights in Aburi and Pokrom.
Research Questions
- What do children in Aburi and Pokrom know about their rights?
- What factors hinder the realization of children’s rights in Aburi and Pokrom?
- How could children in Aburi and Pokrom benefit from knowing about their rights?
- In what ways can stakeholders enhance knowledge about children’s rights in Aburi and Pokrom?
Significance of the Study
This study will be significant in terms of policy, research and social work practice.
- Policy: The findings of the study will provide relevant information to policymakers and all who have interest in matters that concern children such as, the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection, the Department of Social Welfare, UNICEF, and other Non- Governmental Organizations (NGOs), in the design and implementation of policies that will help enhance awareness about children’s rights and the need to respect the rights of children in Ghana.
