The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection today marked a significant milestone with the official inauguration of its state-of-the-art Child Caregiving Centre, a pioneering initiative aimed at bolstering support for working parents and championing early childhood development.
The ceremony, held at the Ministry’s premises, featured a compelling keynote address by the sector Minister, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, who passionately articulated the vision behind the new facility.
The event began with a warm welcome from the Ministry’s Chief Director, Dr Afisah Zakariah, who acknowledged the presence of esteemed guests, including the Ambassador of the Australian High Commission to Ghana as well as other representatives from various organizations and Development Partners.The Chief Director underscored the Ministry’s vital role in safeguarding the welfare of vulnerable groups, particularly children, and highlighted the new centre as a testament to this commitment.
Minister Lartey, in her powerful address, emphasized that the Ministry’s mandate extends beyond policy-making to directly supporting its workforce. “This facility represents our unwavering commitment to the welfare of children in working periods, in line with [our vision] for Inclusive Development and Social Protection for all,” she stated.
The Minister pointed out that many working parents, especially mothers, grapple with the demanding task of balancing professional duties with childcare responsibilities. She revealed that a significant “proportion of children are not meeting their developmental milestones due to inadequate stimulation, responsive caregiving, and limited access to key learning opportunities.” The Child Caregiving Centre, she explained, is a direct response to these challenges.
The newly inaugurated centre will cater to children aged zero to three years, providing “quality care and stimulation through various activities.” Minister Lartey asserted that this would enable parents to contribute to national development “with peace and concentration,” free from worries about their children’s well-being. She specifically highlighted the centre’s support for “exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of every child’s life, which is crucial for the child’s development.”
Minister Lartey lauded President John Dramani Mahama’s administration for its prioritization of gender equality, child protection, and inclusion. She declared, “This child care center is a testament to our resolve to support working parents, especially mothers, in their places of work.” This initiative, she added, signifies the government’s increased attention and investment in care and development for Ghanaian children.
The Minister further stressed that the centre aligns with various legal and policy frameworks, including the 1992 Ghanaian Constitution, the Health Act, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the nurturing care framework for early childhood development, and the revised early childhood care and development policy currently awaiting cabinet approval.
Assuring parents of the highest standards, Minister Lartey detailed the centre’s features: “a safe and friendly, child-friendly environment, with trained caregivers, early learning programs to stimulate cognitive and intellectual growth, requisite support to ensure children’s healthy development, and importantly, inclusive services for children with special needs.”
She extended profound gratitude to development partners, particularly “Child’s Rights International” for their crucial financial support that transformed the dream into reality. She also commended her Chief Director and the Ministry staff for their dedication in bringing the vision to fruition.
Concluding her address, Minister Lartey delivered a poignant message: “When we nurture a child, we nurture the nation.” She expressed her intention to actively “engage organizations and institutions comprising public and private entities to emulate this initiative in their workplaces nationwide, to help uphold the rights and dignity of every child.”
The inauguration of the Child Caregiving Centre marks a significant step forward in Ghana’s efforts to create a more supportive environment for working parents and ensure the optimal development of its youngest citizens.
By Kingsley Asiedu
