2019 Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor: Ghana

 

In 2019, Ghana made a minimal advancement in efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labor. The government committed to use the Trafficking in Persons Information System developed by the International Organization for Migration to improve case tracking and inter-ministerial coordinated responses. However, children in Ghana continue to engage in the worst forms of child labor, including in fishing and cocoa harvesting, each sometimes as a result of human trafficking. Prohibitions related to the commercial sexual exploitation of children do not meet international standards as the use of children in pornographic performances is not criminally prohibited, and the law also does not prohibit the use of children for illicit activities, including for the production and trafficking of drugs. Additionally, the government has not acceded to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography, and resource constraints severely limited the government's abilities to adequately enforce labor laws and implement social programs during the reporting period.

I. Prevalence and Sectoral Distribution of Child Labor

Children in Ghana engage in the worst forms of child labor, including in fishing and cocoa harvesting, each sometimes as a result of human trafficking. (1,2) Table 1 provides key indicators on children's work and education in Ghana.

Table 1. Statistics on Children's Work and Education

Children

Age

Percent

Working (% and population)

5 to 14

13.0 (927,591)

Working children by sector

5 to 14

 

Agriculture

 

79.2

Industry

 

5.0

Services

 

15.8

Attending School (%)

5 to 14

89.9

Combining Work and School (%)

7 to 14

13.2

Primary Completion Rate (%)

 

93.8

Source for primary completion rate: Data from 2018, published by UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2020. (3)
Source for all other data: International Labor Organization's analysis of statistics from Living Standard Survey, 2016–2017. (4)

Based on a review of available information, Table 2 provides an overview of children's work by sector and activity.

Table 2. Overview of Children's Work by Sector and Activity

Sector/Industry

Activity

Agriculture

Producing cocoa,† including land clearing, using machetes and cutlasses for weeding, collecting cocoa pods with a harvesting hook, breaking cocoa pods, working in the vicinity of pesticide spraying, and carrying heavy loads† of water (1,2,5-10)

 

Production of palm oil† and cotton, including weeding, harvesting, and acting as scarecrows (7,11)

 

Herding livestock, including cattle,† hunting, and work in slaughterhouses (12,13)

 

Fishing,† including for tilapia; preparing bait, nets, and fishing gear; launching, paddling, and draining canoes; diving for fish; casting and pulling fishing nets and untangling them underwater; sorting, picking, cleaning, smoking, transporting, and selling fish; cleaning and repairing nets; and building and repairing boats (2,6,8,11,14-17)

Industry

Quarrying† and small-scale mining,† sometimes for gold, including using mercury, digging in deep pits, crushing rocks by hand, carrying heavy loads,† and operating machinery† (7,8,14,18,19)

 

Manufacturing† (7,10)

 

Construction and bricklaying or carrying brick (2,7,10)

Services

Domestic work† (5,9,14)

 

Transporting heavy loads as kayayei† (14,20,21)

 

Work in transportation† (10)

 

Electronic waste and garbage scavenging,† including sorting scavenged items† and transporting items for sale† (22-24)

 

Street work,† including begging,† small-scale vending, and working at restaurants or bars† (7,18,25)

Categorical Worst Forms of Child Labor‡

Commercial sexual exploitation, sometimes as a result of human trafficking (2,9,13,14,26-29)

 

Forced labor in begging; agriculture, including cocoa, including herding; fishing, including for tilapia; artisanal gold mining; domestic work; and street work, including vending and carrying heavy loads; sometimes as a result of human trafficking (2,13,15,16,29-33)

 

Forced ritual servitude for girls known as trokosi, including in domestic work for priests (8,14,26,28,32,34)

† Determined by national law or regulation as hazardous and, as such, relevant to Article 3(d) of ILO C. 182.
‡ Child labor understood as the worst forms of child labor per se under Article 3(a)–(c) of ILO C. 182.

The majority of children subject to human trafficking within Ghana are exploited for labor in cocoa, domestic work, commercial sexual exploitation, gold mining, and fishing. Children as young as age 4 are subjected to forced labor in fishing in the areas around Lake Volta, sometimes as a result of human trafficking. (13,16,26,31-33) Children also use sharp tools and are exposed to agro-chemicals while working in the cocoa sector. (1,7) In addition, girls as young as age 13 from rural northern regions of Ghana travel to urban centers to work as kayayei, or female porters, carrying heavy loads on their heads in markets and are particularly vulnerable to sexual abuse and exploitation. (35)

According to the Constitution and the Education Act, primary education in Ghana is free and compulsory from kindergarten through junior high school. (36,37) However, impoverished families often struggle to pay administrative fees and to purchase school supplies and uniforms. (38) The government said that students are not prevented from enrolling due to a lack of uniform or birth certificate. (39) The dual-track system, introduced in 2018, allows secondary school students, typically between the ages of 13 and 17, to attend school in alternating semesters and take advantage of opportunities such as vocational training when they are not in school. (20,40) However, reports suggest that such opportunities are often not readily available or affordable. As a result, these children are vulnerable to exploitation in child labor during the times when they are not in school. (2,5,8,28,29,41,42) In addition, factors such as a shortage of classrooms, long distance to schools, absence of sanitation facilities, overcrowding in urban areas, sexual harassment of girls in schools, physical violence, verbal abuse, and poor infrastructure, particularly in rural areas, severely limit access to education for many children. (2,5,8,28,42,43) In response, the government has made efforts to increase the accessibility of public education, including by building schools to reduce the distance students must travel, providing school uniforms, lifting birth registration requirements for enrollment, and extending free education through high school. (40,42) The government operates 14 national schools for visually and hearing impaired students. (39,42)

II. Legal Framework for Child Labor

Ghana has ratified most key international conventions concerning child labor (Table 3).

Table 3. Ratification of International Conventions on Child Labor

Convention

Ratification

ILO C. 138, Minimum Age

ILO C. 182, Worst Forms of Child Labor

UN CRC

UN CRC Optional Protocol on Armed Conflict

UN CRC Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography

 

Palermo Protocol on Trafficking in Persons

The government has established laws and regulations related to child labor (Table 4). However, gaps exist in Ghana's legal framework to adequately protect children from the worst forms of child labor, including the use of children in commercial sexual exploitation.

Table 4. Laws and Regulations on Child Labor

Standard

Meets International Standards

Age

Legislation

Minimum Age for Work

Yes

15

Section 89 of the Children's Act (44)

Minimum Age for Hazardous Work

Yes

18

Section 91 of the Children's Act (44)

Identification of Hazardous Occupations or Activities Prohibited for Children

Yes

 

Articles 28.1d, 28.2, and 28.5 of the Constitution; Article 7 of the Labor Regulations Legislative Instrument; Sections 91–92 of the Children's Act; Article 58 of the Labor Act (36,44-47)

Prohibition of Forced Labor

Yes

 

Articles 16.1 and 16.2 of the Constitution; Articles 116–117 of the Labor Act; Sections 1–3 and 42 of the Human Trafficking Act; Sections 1–2 of the Human Trafficking Prohibition Legislative Instrument (36,45,48,49)

Prohibition of Child Trafficking

Yes

 

Sections 1–2 of the Human Trafficking Act; Sections 1–2 of the Human Trafficking Prohibition Legislative Instrument; Articles 21–25 of the Labor Regulations Legislative Instrument (46,48,49)

Prohibition of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children

No

 

Sections 101A, 107–108, 110–111, 274–277, and 279–283 of the Criminal Offenses Act (50)

Prohibition of Using Children in Illicit Activities

No

   

Minimum Age for Voluntary State Military Recruitment

Yes

18

Ghana Armed Forces General Eligibility (Recruits) (51)

Prohibition of Compulsory Recruitment of Children by (State) Military

Yes*

 

Ghana Armed Forces General Eligibility (Recruits) (51)

Prohibition of Military Recruitment by Non-state Armed Groups

No

   

Compulsory Education Age

Yes

15‡

Article 2.2 of the Education Act (37)

Free Public Education

Yes

 

Article 25.1.a of the Constitution; Articles 1.1, 1.2, and 2.2 of the Education Act (36,37)

* No conscription (52)
‡ Age calculated based on available information (52)

Ghana's laws do not cover the procuring or offering of children in the production of pornography or the use, procuring, or offering of children for pornographic performances. (2,46, 53)

III. Enforcement of Laws on Child Labor

The government has established institutional mechanisms for the enforcement of laws and regulations on child labor (Table 5). However, gaps exist within the authority of the Ministry of Employment and Labor Relations (MELR) that may hinder adequate enforcement of their child labor laws.

Table 5. Agencies Responsible for Child Labor Law Enforcement

Organization/Agency

Role

Ministry of Employment and Labor Relations (MELR)

Enforces child labor laws. (20) Conducts national dialogue on Child Labor Free Zones and a workshop on Child Labor Free Zones to discuss child labor in the cocoa industry. (2)

Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development's District Assemblies

Through labor inspectors, investigates child labor violations, educates employers on compliance with child labor laws, and conducts inspections. (2,53) Through social services subcommittees, enforces child labor provisions in the informal sector. (2,44)

Ministry of the Interior

Through its Ghana Police Service, investigates, arrests, and prosecutes cases related to the worst forms of child labor and operates a 24/7 hotline for reporting crimes. (2) Within the Ghana Police Service, the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit and Anti-Human Trafficking Unit investigate cases and provide support to victims. (2,30) Through its Ghana Immigration Service, combats human trafficking through Anti-Human Smuggling and Trafficking Units. (2,54,55)

Ministry of Justice's Office of the Attorney General

Combats child labor by prosecuting child labor and child trafficking crimes. (2) Within the Economic and Organized Crime Office, the Human Trafficking Unit shares responsibility with the Ministry of the Interior's Anti-Human Trafficking Unit for combating human trafficking, confiscating proceeds from human trafficking, and providing ongoing training for law enforcement on prevention measures. (56,57)

Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection (MOGCSP)

Combats child labor and leads government efforts to combat human trafficking. (2) Through its Department of Social Welfare, operates shelters for vulnerable and abused children, administers juvenile justice, and implements programs to combat child labor. (8,58) Through its Human Trafficking Secretariat, oversees the creation, implementation, and review of human trafficking policies and ensures proper monitoring, evaluation, and data collection. (2) Operates a hotline to facilitate access to social services, including for victims of human trafficking. Through its Community Child Protection Committees/District Child Protection Committees, fields complaints of child labor violations at the community and district levels and reports them to appropriate actors; also participates in the Ghana Child Labor Monitoring System (GCLMS) to monitor, prevent, and withdraw children from the worst forms of child labor as part of the Child and Family Welfare Policy. (25,41)

Although the Office of the Attorney General is responsible for prosecuting child trafficking violations, there was an insufficient number of state attorneys designated to prosecute human trafficking crimes. The majority of cases were handled by the Ghana Police Service (GPS) prosecutors, whose lack of formal legal training impedes their ability to prosecute complex criminal cases. (38,39,62) Research indicates that slow communication, as well as challenges in evidence collection between the Ghana Police Service and Attorney General's office, may have further hampered efforts to prosecute cases of child trafficking.(2)

Labor Law Enforcement

In 2019, labor law enforcement agencies in Ghana took actions to combat child labor (Table 6). However, gaps exist within the authority of the MELR that may hinder adequate labor law enforcement, including the authority of labor inspectors to assess penalties.

Table 6. Labor Law Enforcement Efforts Related to Child Labor

Overview of Labor Law Enforcement

2018

2019

Labor Inspectorate Funding

Unknown (20)

Unknown (2)

Number of Labor Inspectors

97 (20)

57 (2)

Inspectorate Authorized to Assess Penalties

No (20)

No (2)

Initial Training for New Labor Inspectors

No (20)

No (2)

Training on New Laws Related to Child Labor

No (20)

N/A (2)

Refresher Courses Provided

No (20)

Yes (2)

Number of Labor Inspections Conducted

283† (20)

328 (39)

Number Conducted at Worksite

Unknown (20)

160‡ (2)

Number of Child Labor Violations Found

Unknown (20)

32 (39)

Number of Child Labor Violations for Which Penalties Were Imposed

Unknown (20)

Unknown (2)

Number of Child Labor Penalties Imposed that Were Collected

Unknown (20)

Unknown (2)

Routine Inspections Conducted

Unknown (20)

Yes (2)

Routine Inspections Targeted

Unknown (20)

Yes (2)

Unannounced Inspections Permitted

Yes (20)

Yes (2,45)

Unannounced Inspections Conducted

Unknown (20)

Yes (2)

Complaint Mechanism Exists

Yes (20)

Yes (2)

Reciprocal Referral Mechanism Exists Between Labor Authorities and Social Services

Yes (20)

Yes(2)

† Data are from January 1, 2018 to November 30, 2018.

‡ Data are from January 1, 2019 to September 30, 2019.

The number of labor inspectors is likely insufficient for the size of Ghana's workforce, which includes about 12,490,000 workers in both the formal and informal sectors. (2,39,63) According to the ILO's technical advice of a ratio approaching 1 inspector for every 15,000 workers in industrializing economies, Ghana would employ about 833 inspectors. (63,64) Inadequate resources, including funding, transportation, office space, and office supplies, hamper the labor inspectorate's capacity to enforce child labor laws, particularly in the informal sector in which child labor is most common. (2,53) Formal referral mechanisms continued to be hindered by lack of funding, shelter space, and transportation for victims. (2)

Criminal Law Enforcement

In 2019, criminal law enforcement agencies in Ghana took actions to combat child labor (Table 7). However, gaps exist within the operations of the criminal law enforcement agencies that may hinder adequate criminal law enforcement, such as financial resource allocation.

Table 7. Criminal Law Enforcement Efforts Related to Child Labor

Overview of Criminal Law Enforcement

2018

2019

Initial Training for New Criminal Investigators

Yes (20)

Yes (2)

Training on New Laws Related to the Worst Forms of Child Labor

N/A (20)

N/A (2)

Refresher Courses Provided

Yes (20)

Yes (2)

Number of Investigations

22 (39)

36 (39)

Number of Violations Found

229 (65)

152 (39)

Number of Prosecutions Initiated

14 (20)

4 (2)

Number of Convictions

14 (65)

4 (2)

Imposed Penalties for Violations Related to The Worst Forms of Child Labor

Yes (20)

Yes (2)

Reciprocal Referral Mechanism Exists Between Criminal Authorities and Social Services

Yes (20)

Yes (2)

During the reporting period, several hundred police officers received training on forced labor, Ghana's anti-Trafficking in Persons laws, and identifying forced labor and child labor. (39) However, research indicates that poor inter-agency coordination and insufficient resources for transportation and victim support resulted in under-reporting of cases and hampered criminal enforcement efforts. (8,26,30,32,62) In addition, members of parliament have attempted to discourage investigations or prosecutions of child trafficking offenses, and high staff turnover limits the government's ability to investigate and prosecute these offenses. (2,55) Although coordination among government officials on human trafficking issues improved during the year, it was uneven across the country and the government relies heavily on NGOs to identify cases of child trafficking. (2,39) Criminal enforcement agencies lack the resources to properly monitor sectors where the worst forms of child labor are known to occur. For example, on Lake Volta, the police do not have boats to patrol for forced child labor in fishing. (29)

However, despite these challenges, the government identified 36 children who were victims of sex trafficking and successfully prosecuted four defendants for crimes related to child trafficking. These cases resulted in two defendants receiving 5-year jail terms and the other two receiving a fine. (2,39)

Four ministries, MELR, the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of the Interior, committed to using the Trafficking in Persons Information System (TIPIS), developed by the IOM. During the reporting period, TIPIS was piloted in three regions to enhance data collection to improve inter-ministerial coordinated responses to cases of trafficking. (2)

IV. Coordination of Government Efforts on Child Labor

The government has established mechanisms to coordinate its efforts to address child labor (Table 8).

Table 8. Key Mechanisms to Coordinate Government Efforts on Child Labor

Coordinating Body

Role & Description

National Steering Committee on Child Labor (NSCCL)

Coordinates government efforts to combat the worst forms of child labor, and oversees implementation of the National Plan of Action Phase II on the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labor (NPA2), which includes implementation of the GCLMS. (2,66,67) Led by MELR's Child Labor Unit (CLU), includes representatives from other ministries, employers' and workers' organizations, and civil society. (2,66,68,69) In 2019, NSCCL organized sensitization programs through school quizzes and media discussions, and held community-level ceremonies along with a national review of GCLMS, and the creation of Child Labor Free Zones. NSCCL met four times in 2019. (2)

Inter-Ministerial Committee to Combat Human Trafficking

Aims to prevent Ghanaian migrants from becoming victims of human trafficking. Comprising MELR, MOGCSP, Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of the Interior. This committee was active during the reporting period and continued its ban on recruitment of Ghanaians for domestic work and hospitality jobs in the Middle East. (2,39)

MELR's CLU

Facilitates the development of policies and laws to combat child labor, coordinates interventions to combat child labor, and oversees child protection committees at the district level. (60,66) Provides technical support to ministries, departments and agencies, employers' and workers' organizations, and international agencies such as ILO, IOM, and UNICEF and is responsible for conducting labor inspections in all sectors except the security and intelligence agencies. (2) During the reporting period, CLU wrote a report on the status of child labor in 2018. (2)

Human Trafficking Management Board (HTMB)

Advises the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection on anti-trafficking policy, promotes prevention efforts, facilitates the protection and reintegration of trafficking victims, and administers the Human Trafficking Fund. Met four times in 2019. (39)

V. Government Policies on Child Labor

The government has established policies related to child labor (Table 9). However, policy gaps exist that hinder efforts to address child labor, including implementation.

Table 9. Key Policies Related to Child Labor

Policy

Description

NPA2 (2017–2020)

Aims to address gaps identified in the first NPA (2009–2015), improve coordination, and reduce the worst forms of child labor to 10 percent by 2021, with a focus on the fishing, mining, and cocoa sectors. (7,38,67,68) In 2019, provided school uniforms and supplies to needy students, improved access of older children to apprenticeship opportunities, and improved enrollment of vulnerable families in areas with a high prevalence of child labor. Also developed guidelines and protocols for assessing Child Labor Free Zones, trained labor inspectors on conducting inspections in the informal sector, and organized awareness programs for the general public. (7)

National Plan of Action for the Elimination of Human Trafficking in Ghana (2017–2021)

Aims to improve data collection, enhance victim protection, increase accountability for perpetrators, and conduct prevention and outreach, including an expansion of the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) Program. (72) In 2019, the government conducted a mid-way assessment of progress, gaps, and challenges that indicated the importance of continued funding to ensure success. (29) The government also took additional steps to operationalize a shelter for child victims of trafficking, but did not admit and care for child trafficking victims during the reporting period. (39)

Hazardous Child Labor Activity Frameworks

Includes the Hazardous Child Labor Activity Framework and the Hazardous Child Labor Activity Framework for the Cocoa Sector. Developed in consultation with workers' and employers' organizations, to identify hazardous activities that should be prohibited for children. (47,70,71) Research was unable to determine whether activities were undertaken to implement these policies during the reporting period.

2010 Declaration of Joint Action to Support the Implementation of the Harkin-Engel Protocol (2010 Declaration) and Its Accompanying Framework of Action

Joint Declaration by the Governments of Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, and the United States, and the International Cocoa and Chocolate Industry. (73-75) Provides resources and coordinates with key stakeholders on efforts to reduce the worst forms of child labor in cocoa-producing areas. (73,74) Ensures that all project efforts implemented under the Declaration and Framework align with Ghana's national action plans to promote coherence and sustainability. (73-75) USDOL-funded projects and some industry-funded projects carried out activities in support of this policy during the reporting period. (39)

Minerals and Mining Policy of Ghana

Prohibits child labor in mining and stipulates that children who visit mining sites must be supervised. (80) In May 2019, held a 2-day conference discussing formalizing small-scale artisanal mining operations, in which the majority of child labor in mining occurs. (81,82)

Strategy on Anti-Child Labor and Trafficking in Fisheries (2016–2020)

Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development policy that aims to significantly reduce the incidence of child labor in fisheries by improving child protection systems and increasing prosecution of offenders. (83) With USAID support, 10 coastal District Assemblies in the Central Region received $934,674 to mainstream activities to combat child labor and trafficking activities in their 2018-2021 Medium-Term Development Plans. (39)

† Policy was approved during the reporting period.
‡ The government had other policies that may have addressed child labor issues or had an impact on child labor. (30,76,84)

Although the government made strides in the implementation of its National Plan of Action for the Elimination of Human Trafficking in Ghana, research indicates that the government relied heavily on NGOs to implement the mandates of this policy. Other areas that required further government attention included provisioning of shelters in more regions and districts, and adequate funding and logistics for rescue operations and victim protection. (29)

VI. Social Programs to Address Child Labor

In 2019, the government funded and participated in programs that include the goal of eliminating or preventing child labor (Table 10). However, gaps exist in these social programs, including funding and adequacy of programs to address the problem in all sectors.

Table 10. Key Social Programs to Address Child Labor

Program

Description

USDOL-Funded Projects

USDOL projects that aim to eliminate child labor. These projects include: Adwuma Pa (2018–2022), a $5 million project implemented by CARE; Combating Forced Labor and Labor Trafficking of Adults and Children in Ghana (2017–2021), a $2 million project implemented by Verité; Assessing Progress in Reducing Child Labor in Cocoa-Growing Areas of Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana (2015–2019), a $3 million project implemented by NORC at the University of Chicago; Mobilizing Community Action and Promoting Opportunities for Youth in Ghana's Cocoa-Growing Communities (MOCA) (2015–2019), a $4.5 million project implemented by Winrock International; and the CARING Gold Mining Project (2015-2019), a $5 million project implemented by ILO. (85-88) Additional information is available on the USDOL website.

U.S. Government-Funded Projects

Projects that aim to improve child protection measures in partnership with the host government. These projects include: the Child Protection Compact Partnership (2015–2020), a $5 million USDOS-funded project implemented by IOM and local NGO Free the Slaves; Accelerating Care Reform (2016–2020), an $8 million USAID-funded project implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and UNICEF to strengthen the social welfare system; LEAP 1000 (2014–2019), a $12 million USAID-funded project implemented by UNICEF to strengthen the existing LEAP program and fund cash transfers to 6,200 poor households; Sustainable Fisheries Management Project (2014–2020), a $24 million USAID-funded project implemented by CRC/URI; the Complementary Basic Education Program, a $40 million joint contribution between USAID and the United Kingdom's Department for International Development (DFID) to support Ghana's Ministry of Education's efforts to educate and re-integrate out-of-school children into the basic school system; and the Learning Support program, a $37 million USAID-UNICEF funded program which helps increase inclusive education services for special needs children in primary schools. (20,89-93)

Industry-Funded Projects

Projects that aim to increase sustainability in the cocoa sector, improve farmer livelihoods, improve access to education, and combat the worst forms of child labor in cocoa-growing areas. Some projects may be in support of the World Cocoa Foundation's CocoaAction (2014–2020) initiative and the spirit of the 2010 Declaration. (75) During the reporting period, the Governments of Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire worked with industry to set a floor price for cocoa in order to reduce the demand for child labor. (94,95)

Educational Programs†

Programs that aim to increase access to education. Ministry of Education-funded programs under the Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education aim to increase school attendance and enrollment. (84,102) MOGCSP's Ghana School Feeding Program aims to reduce malnutrition and improve attendance among students; its Capitation Grant Scheme helps defray the cost of basic education for students in public primary schools; and its Ghana Education Service—Girls' Education Unit places girls' education officers at the regional and district levels and mobilizes communities to enroll more girls in school. (99,100,103,104) As of September 2019, 16,000 students were newly enrolled under the Ministry of Education's Right Age Enrollment Campaign, which is active in 19 districts. (29) The Ghana Cocoa Board's Child Education Support Program rehabilitates and builds schools in cocoa-growing areas. (101,102)

MOGCSP Programs†

Programs that aim to support vulnerable children. Includes: the Program to Assist Kayayei, which provides rehabilitation and reintegration support; the temporary program "Get Off the Street," which aims to remove children from the street and reintegrate them into family and educational settings; the Human Trafficking Fund, which aims to provide financial support to victims; and the conditional cash transfer program, which aims to provide monetary support to poor households with orphans and vulnerable children on the condition that these children attend school. (55,58,98-100)

† Program is funded by the Government of Ghana.
‡ The government had other social programs that may have included the goal of eliminating or preventing child labor. (62,103,105,106)

Research indicates a lack of funding as one of the primary obstacles in implementing programs to address child labor. (2,55) In addition, government-run shelters for abused children are few, and the government relies significantly on NGO-run shelters to which they can refer rescued children. (2,32,39) The shelter in Madina, was opened in July 2018, and is intended to serve child victims of trafficking, remains un-operational. (39) During the reporting period, the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection program "Get Off the Street" program was underfunded. (2)

Although the government has worked closely with industry, NGOs, and international organizations to implement child labor programs in cocoa, fishing, and mining, the magnitude of these programs remains insufficient to address the scope of the problem. (52)

VII. Suggested Government Actions to Eliminate Child Labor

Based on the reporting above, suggested actions are identified that would advance the elimination of child labor in Ghana (Table 11).

Table 11. Suggested Government Actions to Eliminate Child Labor

Area

Suggested Action

Year(s) Suggested

Legal Framework

Accede to the UN CRC Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography.

2013 – 2019

 

Ensure that laws criminally prohibit all forms of commercial sexual exploitation of children, including the procuring or offering of children in the production of pornography or the use, procuring, or offering of children for pornographic performances.

2009 – 2019

 

Ensure that laws criminally prohibit the use of children in all illicit activities, including for the production and trafficking of drugs.

2016 – 2019

 

Ensure that the law criminally prohibits the recruitment of children under age 18 by non-state armed groups.

2015 – 2019

Enforcement

Ensure that prosecutors who have received sufficient legal training oversee and lead the prosecution of cases involving the worst forms of child labor and that an adequate number of state attorneys are available to prosecute cases.

2015 – 2019

 

Ensure that government officials do not intervene in criminal investigations and that these cases are prosecuted according to the law.

2015 – 2019

 

Publish information on the amount of funding allocated to the labor inspectorate and ensure that inspectorates have adequate resources, including office space, transportation, and supplies to adequately carry out their mandate throughout the country.

2009 – 2019

 

Strengthen the labor inspectorate by authorizing inspectors to assess penalties for labor violations.

2014 – 2019

 

Ensure labor inspectors receive adequate training, including initial training for new inspectors.

2014 – 2019

 

Publish data on the number of penalties imposed and collected for child labor violations identified.

2019

 

Significantly increase the number of labor inspectors to meet the ILO's technical advice.

2010 – 2019

 

Strengthen and fully fund the mechanism to track cases of child labor for referral between law enforcement and social services providers.

2019

 

Improve communication and coordination among criminal enforcement agencies to prosecute cases of the worst forms of child labor and provide adequate victim support.

2015 – 2019

Government Policies

Ensure that government policies are active, adequately funded, and publish information on their activities.

2013 – 2019

Social Programs

Improve access to education by eliminating school-related fees, increasing the number of classrooms, improving access to schools, providing sanitation facilities, and prohibiting sexual harassment in schools.

2010 – 2019

 

Ensure that opportunities such as vocational training are available to secondary school students enrolled in the dual-track system.

2019

 

Ensure that social programs are active and receive sufficient funding to carry out their objectives.

2014 – 2019

 

Expand the availability of government-supported shelter services for child victims and ensure that all shelters are operational.

2016 – 2019

 

Create, replicate, and expand effective models for addressing exploitative child labor in the cocoa, fishing, and mining sectors.

2009 – 2019

References
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  2. U.S. Embassy- Accra. Reporting. January 14, 2020.

  3. UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, both sexes (%). Accessed March 2020. For more information, please see "Children's Work and Education Statistics: Sources and Definitions" in the Reference Materials section of this report.
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  4. ILO. Analysis of Child Economic Activity and School Attendance Statistics from National Household or Child Labor Surveys. Original data from Living Standard Survey Round 6, 2012–2013. Analysis received March 2020. Please see "Children's Work and Education Statistics: Sources and Definitions" in the Reference Materials section of this report.

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