CHRAJ questions the effectiveness of policies on Child Labour

The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has questioned the effectiveness of the plethora of policies designed to protect children.

The Commission made the statement in the wake of World Day Against Child Labour which is marked on 12 June every year.

The UN theme for the day is “No to child labour in domestic work”, from which Ghana has chosen the theme: “Take action now! No to Child Labour in domestic work”.

In a press release, signed by Deputy Commissioner Mr Joseph Whittal CHRAJ observed that during the same occasion in 2009/2010, the former Minister for Employment and Social Welfare, Mr. Stephen Amanor Kwao, indicated that Child Labour had been mainstreamed into the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS II) by the government.

The minister noted that the guidelines of the Medium Term Development Plans of all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) for adequate government support to implement interventions to effectively deal with the Worst Forms of Child Labour (WFCL) were in place.

The WFCL refer to work that is likely to harm the safety, health and morals of children under 18. These include the use of children in hazardous work such as child trafficking, prostitution and other illicit activities.

The former minister added that, a National Social Protection Strategy had also been developed within the overall framework of the GPRS II to provide measures for the elimination of child labour through the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty Programme (LEAP).

LEAP is a safety network that was supposed to guarantee the specific needs of children from poor households who were most vulnerable to the WFCL.

Again under the Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda (GSGDA) the current development blueprint of Government, the State has continued to emphasize the importance of a comprehensive social policy framework to provide safety nets for the poor and vulnerable including child labour in domestic work.

But “Are these policies being fully implemented? If they are, how effective are they in eliminating child labour in domestic work throughout the country? Moreover for those of legal working age, what measures have been put in place to provide decent working conditions? Is there appropriate protection for young domestic workers?” the state asked.

The Commission called on Government to expedite action on its social policies to give direction to the work of the Ministry of Labour and Employment and the new Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection

The International Labour Organisation (ILO), launched the first World Day Against Child Labour in 2002 as a way of highlighting the plight of child workers. The day, which is annually observed on June 12, is aimed at serving as a catalyst for activating the global movement against child labour.