Don’t treat children as adults based on their knowledge, intelligence – DOVVSU

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mr Emmanuel Horlortu, has advised adults not to treat children as adults based on their knowledge, intelligence, and ability to express themselves.

DSP Horlortu, the Northern Regional Coordinator of the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service, said age was the only determinant of who a child was, adding that a child’s knowledge and expertise on certain topics should not be the basis to treat him or her as an adult.

He was speaking at a ceremony to commemorate World Day against Child Labour, held at Dalun in the Kumbungu District of the Northern Region.

The event, which was organised by Children Believe, Right To Play, Regional Advisory Information and Network Systems (RAINS), and World Vision, was on the theme: “Universal Social Protection to end Child Labour.”

The World Day against Child Labour is commemorated on June 12, every year to create awareness on the issue of child labour.

DSP Horlortu expressed displeasure over the misconceptions about who a child was, which exposed them to hazards, stating that until a person turned 18 years, he or she remained a child by law.

He urged parents and other stakeholders to be cautious not to expose children to adult works and practices, adding that “childhood is not determined by size but biological age.”