Concerns are mounting over the increasing rates of child labour in Ghana, particularly in cocoa-growing regions and areas impacted by illegal mining, known locally as galamsey.
In a recent address, a Project Director working to combat child labour highlighted the urgent need for targeted action in these high-risk sectors.
Fidelis Yapel, the Project Director at WINROCK International, a Non-profit Organisation, expressed deep concern about the rise in child exploitation during a workshop for stakeholders in the fight against child labour held in Kumasi on October 14, 2024, in cocoa growing and illegal mining areas in Ghana.
“Galamsey is a critical issue in Ghana and child labour is an issue because we do have evidence of children involved in the galamsey activities and also in the cocoa supply chain.
“Much attention is needed to tackle child labour in all forms and sectors as the issue is becoming one too many in these operational districts. The activities are impacting heavily on the livelihoods of children in these areas,” he stated
Speaking in an interview with Channel One news, Fidelis highlighted that, Winrock International (WI) with funding from the United States Department of Labour (USDOL), is implementing the “Making Advances to Eliminate Child Labour in More Areas with Sustainable Integrated Efforts”
(MATE MASIE) project, a workshop which was organised for various stakeholders to combat child labour in these areas.
Fidelis stated that “Winrock International is implementing a project called Making Advances to Eliminate Child Labour in More Areas with Sustainable Integrated Efforts and founded by the US Department of Labour which is focused on empowering cocoa cooperatives to eliminate child labour in the cocoa supply chain.
The issue of child labour cannot be handled by one single organisation and so it is important to collaborate with all stakeholders to tackle child labour holistically”.
The workshop served as a call to action, emphasizing that addressing child labour requires not only awareness but a proactive and integrated approach across all levels of society.
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