June 12 is World Day Against Child Labour, dedicated to raising awareness and mobilizing global efforts to eliminate child labour.
Child Labour defined by the International Labour Organization is any work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential, dignity and harmful to their physical and mental development.
At the commemoration of this year’s World Day Against Child Labour dubbed; “Let’s Act on Our Commitment: End Child Labour, ” the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) urged the Ghanaian government and stakeholders to intensify efforts to achieve the U.N. Sustainable Development Goal 8.7, aiming for the total eradication of child labour in Ghana.
CHRAJ emphasized the need for stronger inter-sectoral coordination, targeted community sensitization programs, and enhanced access to quality education.
They called for increased budget allocation for social services and the harmonization of Child Labour Monitoring and Remediation Systems.
Despite global efforts, child labour remains prevalent, particularly in Africa, where 19.6% of children are labourers.
In Ghana, about 28% of children aged 5-17 are engaged in child labour, with many in hazardous conditions.
According to CHRAJ, Ghana has made progress with legislation and international conventions, including the recent “Ghana Accelerated Action Plan Against Child Labour 2023-2027,” but more action is needed to address the root causes of child labour and meet SDG 8.7 by 2025.
