By Dorothy Frances Ward
Kumasi, Nov. 10. GNA – Ghana needs a comprehensive and coordinated approach to address the issues of child and forced labour in the country, especially in the farming and fishing communities.
Mr Andrew Tagoe, Africa Regional Coordinator of Global March Against Child Labour, who stated this, said there was the need for s strong alliances among all key stakeholders playing a role in the elimination of forced and child labour, to achieved targeted results.
Speaking at a capacity building workshop on forced and child labour for some selected media practitioners in Kumasi, he said child and forced labour continue to hamper the proper development of children and adolescents in the country.
The workshop is aimed at empowering the participants with the requisite skills to strengthen social mobilization partnerships and reporting against child and forced labour in their workplaces
Mr Tagoe pointed out that, child and forced labour were linked to poverty, inequality and social exclusion, adding that, high levels of illiteracy, discrimination and gender inequalities, hindered the abilities of families to recognize the risks.
He called on stakeholders to take up the responsibility to provide more education opportunities for the youth and provide support for children and parents especially those in the cocoa and fishing communities.
Mr Tagoe also called on the media to create awareness, targeting potential workers, educating them on acceptable conditions of work in that particular sector to help reduce the use of children in hazardous activities.
GNA