Home – Defence for Children International Ghana Section

Defence for Children International, Ghana Section (DCI-Ghana) is part of the global movement for children’s rights.

Defence for Children International (DCI) is an independent grassroots and human rights-based international non-governmental organization (INGO) that has been promoting and protecting children’s rights on a national, regional and international level within the framework provided by the comprehensive protection offered by the United Nations’ doctrine. DCI is one of the leading NGOs on issues of justice for children, with a ground presence in five continents: through 47 national sections in the field, and an International Secretariat (DCI-IS) based in Geneva (Switzerland).

DCI was founded in 1979; the first International Year of the Child, and it participated proactively in the draft of the text of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) of United Nations. The organisation currently holds consultative status within the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and the Council of Europe.

The DCI mandate is to bring pressing child rights concerns to the international agenda, to raise awareness about the situation of those children in conflict with the law, placing the childhood and justice as the focal point in the policy agendas on a national, regional and international level, seeking the development of appropriate juvenile justice systems guided by the principles enshrined in the CRC and all other existing international human rights standards and instruments related to children and their human rights. All of these are carried out through monitoring activities; developing reports; networking; lobbying and advocacy; disseminating information; but mainly with activities which focal point is the promotion and improvement of the DCI national sections’ capacities.

Defence for Children International Ghana is officially registered and active in Ghana since 1996.It became a DCI section in 1997 during the International General Assembly of DCI held in Dakar. DCI-Ghana is based in Kumasi. It can counts on a team of 6 people working on a full-time basis, 5 on a part-time basis and a team of 4 volunteers. Its General Assembly is composed of 34 people with different expertise in the field of human rights, international cooperation, social activism and media work.

Aim
To promote and protect the rights of children as enshrined in the UN Convention on the rights of the child and the Ghanaian laws that concern children.

Objectives

To influence the development, enforcement and implementation of policies that protect the rights of children.
To foster sustainable cooperation and solidarity with government, UN and other agencies on children’s rights.
To sensitise the public on the rights of the child.
To highlight child rights violations at national and international level in order to promote accountability and access to justice for the victims.
To facilitate the rehabilitation and reintegration of children from prisons, child victims of abuse and other vulnerable children

Vision
A Ghana where children’s rights are fully known and respected by all

Mission

DCI Ghana operates to defend the rights of the child by advocating for and disseminating policies that protect the rights of children, building the capacities of child protection institutions and structures at national, district and community levels as well as empowering children for their self protection and overall development

Values

We are professional
We are sensitive to child rights issues
We treat all child related cases with confidentiality and equality
We are concerned with the welfare and protection of all children