Stop circulating videos of children who suffer ill treatments, abuses - CRI

The Child Rights International (CRI) has condemned and described as dangerous practices where the faces of children who suffer ill-treatment and abuses are videoed and broadcast publicly.

Speaking about a viral video of an 11-year-old girl whose father allegedly picked her up from school and took her to a traditional herbalist for money rituals, the CRI called for an immediate halt to such practice.

The said video was shared on social media allegedly by the traditional herbalist whose intention was to dispute the perception that herbalists engage in human sacrifice.

The video, which started circulating on social media late last week, has so far garnered a viewership of more than 100,000 people.

In the said video, the face of the young girl was seen with a sad countenance and appeared lost, not knowing what was happening.

In a statement issued and signed by the Executive Director of CRI, Mr Bright Appiah said the act "was becoming widespread in a society where children who form a major core of the vulnerable groups are exposed to all forms of abuses, particularly, psychological instability".

He said most children, after being exposed to this form of publicity, begin to develop low self-esteem and all forms of humiliation.

Most of them, Mr Appiah said, "are unable to recover because their faces will forever be stored on the Internet".

Apart from the law that frowns on such behaviour, Mr Appiah said it was distasteful and against the fundamental human rights of children as enshrined in the constitution.

"We should protect children at all cost no matter the gravity of the situation," he said.

Outlining some of the measures to combat the situation, Mr Appiah stressed the need to strengthen the parental policy in the country.

He said parents must be held accountable for what happens to their children, and the state must not be lenient with child abusers.

Additionally, Mr Appiah said security agencies must be empowered and properly trained to respect the dignity of children, especially when making announcements relating to issues of child welfare.

He also called for a proper school structure where the school environment would be protected to prevent anybody from walking in to pick up a child.

Mr Appiah called on the police not to treat the case with a soft hand but make sure the father faced the full rigours of the law.

He said this case needed to be used as an example to deter others who plan to emulate such a heinous crime.