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

The commemoration focused on the need to shift public and institutional responses to street-connected children from criminalisation to protection, care, and social inclusion.

Stakeholders emphasised that many children end up on the streets due to poverty, abuse, neglect, and limited access to essential social services.

Speaking on behalf of the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr Prince Boamah Abrah, Director of the Department of Social Welfare and Chairperson of the event, said street children must be treated with compassion rather than condemnation.

He explained that social protection interventions such as the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme and the School Feeding Programme are key in reducing the economic pressures that push children onto the streets.

He further stressed that the theme calls for a shift in mindset and policy approach, noting that society must move “from criminalising vulnerability to protecting dignity, and from neglecting needs to restoring hope,” while urging collective action to safeguard vulnerable children.

Also speaking on behalf of the Chief Director of the Ministry, Dr Marian W. A. Kpakpah, Madam Angela Kangah of the Department of Children said justice must prioritise listening to children and addressing their needs rather than punishing poverty.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Cherish a Child Foundation, Madam Salome Delali, added that street children are not criminals but victims of circumstance who require support to rebuild their lives.

A testimony from a street-connected child, Nicholas Mawunyo, underscored the event’s message, as stakeholders ended the commemoration with a renewed call to protect vulnerable children and ensure no child is left behind.