Accra: Stakeholders in child protection and education have called on policymakers to improve the enforcement and monitoring of policies in addressing the prevalence of child labour in Ghana. They emphasized that, despite the existence of policies and laws aimed at combating this issue, child labour remains prevalent, particularly in rural areas, due to weak enforcement and monitoring mechanisms.
According to Ghana News Agency, these concerns were brought to light during a national child protection and education stakeholders meeting organized by Right To Play, a non-governmental organization focused on children's welfare and education support, in Accra. The event served as a platform for stakeholders to share their insights and contribute to the development of two initiatives being implemented by Right To Play.
One of the initiatives, "My Life My Rights," is funded by Barry Callebaut and aims to tackle child labour and the issue of out-of-school children in farming communities such as Asunafo North, Adansi South, Adansi Asokwa, and Adansi Krofuom. The other initiative, "My Right My Future," supported by the European Commission, targets similar issues in farming and fishing communities in the Volta and Oti regions.
Mr. Julius Kwami Tsatsu, Project Manager for "My Life My Rights," highlighted that parental neglect is a major contributing factor to child labour and the number of out-of-school children. He noted that when parents fail to fulfill their responsibilities, children are often compelled to enter the workforce to support themselves, leading to exploitation.
Mr. Bagonluri Kibuka, Project Manager for "My Right My Future," emphasized the need for government programs addressing out-of-school children to be well-targeted and monitored. He suggested that initiatives like the School Feeding Programme should focus on more deprived communities and schools where lack of food is a barrier to education.
Mr. Kibuka also stressed the importance of improved coordination and engagement with local authorities to ensure these programs effectively address challenges at the local level. In Ghana, a significant number of children remain out of school, with estimates indicating that approximately 958,300 primary-school-aged children are not enrolled, including those who have never attended school. Many of these children are involved in child labour, particularly in agriculture, which hinders their ability to attend school.
