ILO forms district and community child protection committees as part of measures to address child labour in Ghana.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) is making gains towards eliminating child labour in Ghana by forming and building capacity of district and community child protection committees through the Accelerating Action for the Elimination of Child Labour in Supply Chains in Africa (ACCEL Africa) project. This is a result of the collaborative efforts between the ILO, supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, and in partnership with the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations of Ghana.

Ghana, despite significant advancements, including commitment to international conventions and development of national policies aimed at child protection and the elimination of child labour, continues to face challenges with child labour, including its worst forms, particularly in rural areas and key sectors like cocoa and gold mining. As children remain exposed to abuse in cocoa and gold value chains, district and community-based child protection committees are essential to mobilize community responses, enhance referrals, raise awareness on child labour and rights, and ensure communities take part in creating a protective environment for children.

In line with this, the ILO through a field mission formed and built the capacity of four (4) district child protection committees in Bia East, Juaboso, Bibiani-Ahwiaso-Bekwai and Wassa Amenfi East districts with the aim of enhancing their capacity to analyse child labour issues, collaborate, develop, implement and monitor action plans to address the issues in cocoa and gold supply chains. The committees have also been formed in all 20 project communities. Through a training workshop, the capacity of 88 (male 62, female 26) people comprising the 4 district committee members and selected community committee members was enhanced on the concept of child labour, legal and policy framework on child labour in Ghana, child labour coordination and the role of district and community child protection committees in helping to eliminate child labour at the grassroot.

The capacity building of district and community child protection committees marks a significant milestone to combat child labour in the project, as committees demonstrated their commitment by using the knowledge gained to analyse and develop action plans to eliminate child labour in all four (4) of the project districts. In contributing to the discussions during the training, Martha Nneka Opara, chairperson of the National Commission for Civic Education in Bibiani District emphasized that “…there is a glaring issue of child labour in cocoa producing and gold mining areas which needs to be addressed with urgency”. As part of the action plans of committees, community sensitization will be intensified to raise awareness on child labour. The commitment of all committees to intensify efforts through integrated community initiatives, ensuring enhanced collaboration among local government units, and supporting the ACCEL Africa project sets a hopeful path for the future in Ghana in eliminating child labour.

The commitment also underscored a unified approach to eradicating child labour, through the Ghana Accelerated Action Plan Against Child Labour 2023-2027 and in alignment with Sustainable Development Goal 8.7.

The ILO will analyse the district action plans to ensure alignment with the project outcomes and outputs. Based on the analysis, the ILO will refine and adjust project plans and activities to effectively address the specific needs of each committee based on the prevailing context. Key areas of focus will include providing and advocating for resources for the committees to work as per their action plans. Whiles the ILO will continue to strengthen partnerships with local government units and development partners, regular monitoring and evaluation will be conducted to track progress of the committees as they implement their action plans. The capacity of all members of the community committees will also be built and guided to develop community level action plans. Alexander Amihere Meizah of the Ghana Health Service in Juaboso district applauded the ILO for the initiative and urged for more of such capacity building trainings, equipping and continues monitoring of the committees to carry out their responsibilities in the district and communities.