The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection has marked this year’s World Children’s Day with the seventh sitting of the National Children’s Parliament at the African Trade House in Accra.

The event, held on Thursday, November 20, 2025, brought together child parliamentarians from across the country to discuss issues affecting children’s growth, learning and protection.

This year’s celebration was on the theme My Day, My Right: Investing in Early Childhood, a National Priority. The theme underscored the importance of stronger national investment in the early years, which experts describe as the most crucial stage of a child’s development.

The Gender Minister, Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey in her address noted that the day held special meaning for all who believed in the potential of Ghanaian children.

She explained that the Children’s Parliament had strengthened national commitment to ensuring that children’s voices were valued and considered in policymaking.

She indicated that children were not passive observers but active partners in shaping the future, and she described the platform as a transformative space that taught leadership and civic responsibility.

The Minister emphasised that the early years, from pregnancy to age eight, formed the foundation for how children learned, thought and related with others.

She referenced global research which showed that investments in early childhood delivered the highest returns to society through improved education outcomes, stronger economic growth and reduced inequalities.

She stressed that Ghana could not afford to miss the opportunity to give every child a strong start in life.

She revealed that the Ministry, with support from UNICEF and other development partners, was developing a national parenting strategy aimed at equipping caregivers with the tools needed to raise confident and emotionally secure children.

She also mentioned ongoing efforts to strengthen early childhood education infrastructure, promote nutrition and breastfeeding, expand access to health services and reinforce child protection systems against violence and neglect.

The Minister reaffirmed the holistic nature of child development, noting that health, nutrition, education, play and safety were inseparable.

She expressed pride in the contributions of the child parliamentarians and indicated that their participation reminded adults that the future must be co-designed with the children who would live in it.

She urged families, community leaders, religious institutions and all partners to support national efforts to safeguard children’s rights.

The Chief Director of the Ministry, Dr.Afisah Zakaria welcomed participants to the commemoration and highlighted that the theme reflected the need to listen to, empower and respect children from their earliest years.

She explained that Ghana’s newly enacted Early Childhood Care and Development policy provided a strong framework for supporting children’s holistic growth, including health, nutrition, safe environments and learning opportunities.

She urged policymakers, educators, families and partners to work collectively to ensure that every child was given the right conditions to thrive.

She pointed out that protecting children’s rights and providing nurturing early environments were essential for building a fair and prosperous nation.

She expressed hope that discussions from the Children’s Parliament would help translate national vision into practical action across communities.

The Chief Director extended best wishes to all children in Ghana and around the world and commended them for their role in shaping the country’s future.

The Country Director of Plan International Ghana, Constant Tchona, stated that World Children’s Day provided a platform to amplify key child rights, including health, education, protection and participation.

He observed that the early years formed the base of a child’s future growth and explained that strong foundations supported cognitive development, health, nutrition and the ability to learn through play.

He praised the Children’s Parliament for highlighting issues affecting their communities and for proposing practical solutions to national actors.

He stressed that investing in children was the most effective way to invest in national development and warned that failure to invest today would weaken the country’s future.

He pledged Plan International’s continued support towards the implementation of the national early childhood development policy and encouraged other development partners to do the same.

He commended Beatrice, one of the child parliamentarians, for her confidence and clarity, describing her as an example of the agency and empowerment the organisation aimed to promote, especially for girls.

The event brought together government officials, development partners, educators, caregivers, civil society organisations and children.

It provided a platform for young people to share their concerns, propose reforms and advocate for improved learning and protection systems.

By: Jacob Aggrey