The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP), through the Department of Social Welfare, in collaboration with Cherish a Child Foundation, joined the global community to commemorate the International Day for Street Children under the theme, “Protect, Not Punish.”

The event highlighted the urgent need to shift societal and institutional responses toward street children from criminalisation to protection, care, and inclusion.

In an address delivered on behalf of the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, the Director of the Department of Social Welfare and Chairperson of the event, Dr. Prince Boamah Abrah, emphasised that street children are among the most vulnerable in society and deserve compassion, not condemnation.

He noted that many of these children are driven to the streets by factors such as poverty, neglect, abuse, and limited access to basic social services.

According to him, the theme calls for a fundamental shift in mindset—from criminalising vulnerability to protecting dignity, and from neglecting needs to restoring hope.

Dr. Prince Boamah Abrah stressed that the government, through programmes such as LEAP and the School Feeding Programme, supports vulnerable households to reduce the economic pressures that push children onto the streets.

He called on all to choose compassion over indifference and protection over punishment in order to save children living on the streets.

Speaking at the event on behalf of the Chief Director of MoGCSP, Dr. Marian W. A. Kpakpah, a Principal Programmes Officer from the Department of Children, Madam Angela Kangah, stated that justice means creating systems that listen to children and respond to their needs rather than punishing them for their poverty.

“In doing so, we are choosing to invest in a brighter future for the entire country,” she added.

Delivering a goodwill message at the event, the Chief Executive Officer of Cherish a Child Foundation, Madam Salome Delali, emphasised that street children are not criminals. They are victims of circumstance who need protection and support to rebuild their lives. She called for stronger collaboration among various institutions to successfully help remove children from the streets.

A moving segment of the programme featured testimonies from Nicholas Mawunyo, a street-connected child who shared his daily struggles and aspirations. His voice reinforced the central message of the theme—urging society to see street children as children in need of care rather than punishment.

The commemoration ended with a collective call to action for all stakeholders to intensify efforts to protect vulnerable children and ensure that no child is left behind.