It is estimated that by the close of year 2022, about an additional nine million children will be pushed into child labour, bringing the total figure to 66 million girls and approximately 104 million boys worldwide. -World Vision.Org
Even though boys are more likely to be engaged in child labour than girls, the figures keep rising to the extent that one in three children in child labor is out of school. According to the International Labour Organization’s 2013 Globe Report on Child Labour, there are approximately 265 million working children in the world.
Although Ghana is not among the countries with the highest rates of child labour, such as Somalia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zimbabwe, Eritrea, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sudan, Myanmar, and Yemen, it is a topic worth discussing because a few incidents have been reported in the country’s coastal and middle belts.
The Department of Social Welfare, in collaboration with the Education Directorate of the Ledzokuku Municipal Assembly, in association with the Bonabear Foundation Ghana and Dream Africa Care Foundation Ghana, held an event to educate and raise awareness on child labour.
The resource persons were Madam Elizabeth Akabonbire, Assistant Chief Labour Officer, and an officer from DOVVSU Municipal Director of Education.
The Municipal Chief Executive, Mr. Mordecai Quarshie, who delivered the closing remarks, said the Assembly is doing all it can to stop all forms of child labour and child abuse.
He said the Assembly had taken a decision to support girls who were raped by paying their hospital bills.
He appealed to parents to provide for their children and not to engage them in harmful child labour.
In an interview, the founder of the Bonabear Foundation Ghana, Amb Bernard Kofi Bonarparte, also reiterated his organization’s commitment to work hand in hand with various stakeholders in interventions through policy frameworks and advocacy in tackling this branch of child abuse as the core mandate of the organization is to help address UN-SDG 3 and 17; the reason for the partnership.
He stated that the current poverty rate amidst poor access to decent work, natural disasters like the current flooding that displaces people from their place of abode, and limited understanding of child labour issues are the main causes of child labour and should be addressed mainly by authorities and NGO’s by putting in various social interventions and programs to benefit the masses, especially single parents and widows with limited financial capabilities to venture into small and medium-skilled jobs.
The host of the event, Teshie Presby Cluster-Aboma, with other neighboring schools, took part in a 2 km walk to climax the event and also create awareness within the community.
Issued
Comrade Jude Nii Boye Borteye,
Project Coordinator
BFG
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