Child Abuse is defined by Wikipedia as physical, sexual and psychological maltreatment or neglect of a child or children, especially by a parent or a caregiver.

It may also include any act or failure to act by a parent or caregiver that results in actual or potential harm to a child, which can occur in either a the home, an organisation, school or community where the child interacts with people.

Though most countries are signatories to several international child rights conventions, many unsuspecting children around the globe continue to experience torture, inhumane treatments and worst forms of human rights abuses.

UNICEF Research
A UNICEF Child Protection Baseline Research report indicates that when children were asked about their experiences of physical discipline, over 57 per cent of respondents (aged 14-17 years) said they were beaten at home “all the time” or “sometimes”, while 34 per cent confirmed being beaten in school by the teacher in the last month.
This appear to be the case for both girls and boys in rural and urban areas.

Economic Burden
The cost of child abuse remain enormous, which include short-term consequences such as medical issues and the need for social welfare interventions, while long term consequences comprise physical disability, absence in school and psychological impact on the child.

Ghana is no exception as girls and boys in the country still experience frequent and multiple forms of physical, emotional and verbal abuse as well as
violence.
UNICEF estimates that the financial burden of child abuse on Ghana hovers around US$200 million per year or one per cent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), while the estimated total number of children physically or emotionally abused is 3.4 million.

Source NewsGhana