The Department of Social Welfare under the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP) in collaboration with UNICEF Ghana and CRS Ghana on Monday, May 15 organised a walk and a Town Hall Meeting to commemorate the 2023 International Day of the Family.

The event dubbed: ‘Families and New Technologies’, was aimed at creating awareness on the new technologies in relating to families and development.

Its purpose was also to promote parental responsibilities and child protection, sensitize the District on the importance of the family in the lives of individuals and increase knowledge of the impact of technologies on Social and Economic processes on families.

In a keynote address read on behalf of the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Madam Lariba Zuweira Abudu, the Deputy Minister for MoGCSP, Madam Francisca Oteng Mensah noted that the COVID-19 pandemic had evidently accelerated the pace of digital transformation and boost technologies that have brought social and economic benefits to families.

‘Now more families have multi-functional devices for inter-personal communication, created jobs, and transacting business’, she added.

The Deputy Minister admonished all and sundry to take care of their children, support their families and guide them with the use of technologies whilst educating them on the dangers associated with it.

In a statement read on behalf of the Chief Director of the Ministry, Dr Afisah Zakariah, the Director of the Department of Social Welfare, Rev. Dr. Comfort Asare stated that this year’s theme highlights the significance of embracing existing and emerging new technologies to enhance good family life in Ghana.

Solidarity messages from Development Partners (UNICEF and CRS Ghana) emphasized on their commitment to sustaining the strategic partnership and collaboration with MoGCSP for long-term benefits to families and citizens.

The International Day of Families was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1993 through resolution A/RES/47/237. Since then, on the 15th of May every year the Ministry of Gender Children and Social Protection raise awareness about family-related issues and deepen the understanding of the socioeconomic and demographic factors affecting families worldwide.

Sompaonline.com/Nana Yaw Boamah