The Ministry of Gender Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP) in partnership with UNICEF, Ghana Health Service and Ghana Education Service has launched the Early Childhood Development (ECD) Communication Package and “I WILL” Campaign on Wednesday,17th August 2022.
The objective of the campaign was to promote an integrated approach to ECD communication and ensure that all children (0-8 years), especially the most vulnerable survive, thrive, and develop their maximum potential.
The ‘I WILL’ Campaign has been designed to help address the challenges associated with the care of children 0-8 years and serve as a rallying call for parents, guardians and other stakeholders to increase their commitment toward the development of children in their early years of life while acknowledging the power they have to ensure desired outcomes.
Delivering her keynote address, the Minister Designate for MoGCSP, Madam Hajia Lariba Zuweira Abudu indicated that, the “I WILL” campaign generally seeks to ignite renewed commitment among parents, guardians and other stakeholders towards desirable care giving behaviours that guarantee optimal development of children in their early childhood.
She noted that the campaign aims at raising awareness of ECD issues and increased investment in the sector with a focus on a wide range of issues such as promoting exclusive breast feeding and complimentary feeding, promoting play and quality caregiver-child interaction among others.
She disclosed that as part of measures to ensure effective roll out of the campaign, a communication package which includes posters, flash cards as well as facilitation guide has been developed to convey essential ECD messages to various audiences.
Madam Hajia Lariba Zuweira Abudu thanked stakeholders for their support towards the welfare of young children.
On her part, the Deputy Minister Designate, Madam Francisca Oteng Mensah noted that children are the human resource base of the country, hence investing in their development is a top priority for government.
She added that government is committed to the well-being of its youngest citizens and has over years prioritize their issues as a national development agenda.
Dr. Afisah Zakariah, Chief Director for MoGCSP on her part said, some children go through traumatic and stressful experiences in early childhood which affects their optimal development, hence the need for parents, caregivers and stakeholders to be equipped with relevant knowledge and skills to ensure that all children develop their full potentials.
The Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, Professor Kwasi Opoku Amankwa called on parents, families, communities and teachers to come together to ensure the holistic development of the Ghanaian child.
“It is therefore imperative that members of the community pull their resources together to provide the much needed positive environment, with appropriate facilities that are safe and healthy for the holistic development of our future generation” he said.
Deputy Representative at UNICEF-Ghana, Ramesh Bhusal commends the Government of Ghana for her commitment to nurture and develop the well-being of every child in Ghana.
According to him, the campaign will create awareness, increase knowledge, empower and transform stakeholders’ perspectives to support children across Ghana to reach their full potentials.
Dr. Issabella Sagoe on behalf of the Director General of the Ghana Health Service disclosed that Ghana’s roadmap to Universal Health Coverage promotes the agenda of leaving no one behind and that includes the youngest population, she added that it is very vital to provide the necessary guidance to support children.
The campaign has been structured to give parents and stakeholders an opportunity to pledge their commitment to implementing desirable behaviours which will facilitate effective early childhood development in Ghana.
