The District Child Protection Coordinators team visited the Atweaman Senior High School to engage students on Sexual and Gender Based Violence, Child Protection issues, mental health, career guidance and adolescent health talk. Students engaged were from SHS One – SHS Three. The Department of Social Welfare and Community Development took them through some flash cards pertaining to child protection. The education representatives took them through career guidance and how to choose the right career path in life. The health representatives took them through mental health issues, especially how to overcome stress and depression and also on adolescent health.
A sexual and gender based violence club was introduced to the school populace and they were encouraged to register onto the club and partake in activities and programmes of the club.
The Social Welfare and Community Development Department decided to be proactive in it’s drive towards CHILD PROTECTION in the district and in so doing engaged stakeholders in order to create District Child Protection Coordinators (Team), who in turn will engaged in the setting up of Sexual and Gender Based Violence Clubs in order to sensitize students and authorities in the various schools within the Asene Manso Akroso District. In addition the team will set up Community Child Protection Committee and sensitize community folks on the importance of child protection, ways to safeguard children and the channel for reporting should they encounter cases of abuse of children. Reports of this programme and engagement will support the District in making a calm for inclusion onto the ISS program.
In order to set up a formidable team the Department liaised with the District Education Service, the District Health Service and the Gender Desk Officer of the Asene Manso Akroso District Assembly.
The SWCD again trained stakeholders on the use of the CHILD PROTECTION TOOL KIT which will be used for engagements with students and community members during the CHILD PROTECTION ENGAGEMENT programmes. The team trained by the department was made up of D/SHEP(District/School Health Education Programme Coordinator) District Guidance And Counselling Coordinator, District Girl Child Coordinator, District Public Health Nurse, Gender Desk Officer.
