MARITAL BREAKDOWN, NOT GROUNDS FOR NEGLECTING PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES. - Amb Bernard Kofi Bonarparte ( IHRC GH) 

The Commissioner and Head of Volunteers of the Special Monitoring Missions of the IHRC GH Amb Bernard Kofi BONARPARTE , Founder of the Bonabear Foundation Ghana and also a Global Goodwill Ambassador admonishes parents not to hide behind the curtains of marital breakdown and divorce to neglect their parental responsibilities towards their children, but rather agree to care for them and allow their children to live their full potential, by giving them guidance and supporting them through formal education and giving them the opportunity to follow their dreams. This will curtail the incidence of subjecting and forcefully pushing children to child labor such as farming and galamsay. 

This he said was in line with the basic and fundamental rights of these children which they are entitled to.

On Monday , the 27th December saw another moment of demonstration of Love from the Bonabear Foundation GHANA under auspices of the Special Monitoring Mission of the International Human Rights Commission- Ghana also in partnership of DUEDUAH - 1 Hotel in Awanare a predominantly Cocoa Farming community in the Atiwa West Municipal - Eastern Region were participants went through some fun and engaging activities to mark the day. 

Christmas being a time for self reflection , A time to show love and also give an account of one's self through out the year and planning against the coming year. 

Delivering his speech at the event , He mentioned that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights clearly outlines the need to allow people to decide with guidance regarding children what they wish to become in future. IN GHANA , the Childrens Act 560 also stresses on the need to guide a child to live his or her full potential. 

The Childrens Act stipulates that every decision taken in connection with the child must be in the interest of the child. For that matter, parents and guardians need to at some point in time seek the opinion of these children. This is very clear in the Act 560. Children must be guarded and that is why that same Act, allows for parents and guardians to restrict the movement of children for the purpose of their education. All these are in the spirit of allowing them to grow to their full potential and not to the potential of the parents and guardians.

The partnership this year aided the commission to feed well over 1,100 men and women including children, these annual event saw all participants wearing smiles after they all received food , water and soft drinks including usable clothes and study materials and books to all the children present. 

In attendance were dignitaries and opinion leaders from the community. The Chief Inspector of Police also gave a cautious word to the parents to desist from engaging their wards in forceful and hard labor with the aim of having these children support them in their farm. He also said that when parents in any case identifies a child’s interest in Agriculture, they should allow the child to have formal edification whiles the child pursues courses in relations to his or her interest.   

Various speakers took turn to share words of encouragement to Parents considering the current Global economic crisis due to the Covid-19 negative impact on the World at large and that they should still persevere and continue to work hard as better days are ahead.