Ms Celestine Adzah, Chief Executive Officer of the Celestines Foundation, has called for strengthened collaboration among key stakeholders to curb the rising incidents of defilement and protect the rights of children, particularly in the Volta Region.
She said government agencies, civil society organisations, community leaders, parents, educators and media practitioners must intensify coordinated efforts to address the growing concern, which continues to threaten the safety and well-being of children.
Ms Adzah underscored the need for urgent and sustained multi-sectoral interventions.
She noted that although progress had been made in advancing adolescent health and well-being, the issue of defilement required more deliberate and unified responses.
“Defilement, as defined under Ghanaian law, involves unlawful sexual intercourse with a child and remains a serious offence with far-reaching physical and psychological consequences for victims.”
Ms Adzah described the situation as a societal challenge that demanded collective responsibility.
“Defilement and incest are not mere criminal issues but community crisis that undermines the future of our children,” she said.
She, therefore, urged stakeholders to strengthen preventive strategies, intensify public education and ensure that children were adequately informed about their rights, including avenues for reporting abuse.
The CEO further highlighted the importance of providing support systems for survivors and ensuring that perpetrators were subjected to the full rigours of the law.
She said recent judicial actions and advocacy efforts by law enforcement agencies pointed to the need for stronger community-level support to complement institutional interventions.
Ms Adzah called on families to refrain from shielding offenders and instead cooperate with authorities to ensure justice for victims.
She also encouraged parents and guardians to engage their children in conversations on consent, bodily autonomy and safe disclosure, while urging communities to establish trusted reporting mechanisms and responsive support networks.
The call aligns with ongoing national efforts by relevant institutions to combat sexual abuse and exploitation of children and promote a safer environment for their growth and development.
Meanwhile, reports from the Tongu enclaves in the Volta Region indicate that a number of young females have recently been defiled, with some cases involving incest, raising further concerns among residents and child protection advocates.
Ms Adzah reiterated the need for heightened vigilance and collective action to safeguard children and uphold their fundamental rights.
Credit: Kekeli K. Blamey
