By Daniel Agbesi Latsu
Ampeyo (O/R), June 19, GNA – Alliance for Community Resilience and Development (ACRAD), with funding support from the European Commission in Ghana has led a community celebration to mark the 2025 World Day Against Child Labour with vibrant drama and poetry performances at Ampeyo in the Kadjebi District of the Oti Region.
The event was under the auspices of Right To Play (RTP) and Partners in Community Development Programme (PACODEP).
The event formed part of the My Rights, My Future project—a three-year initiative jointly implemented by the three NGOs to address child labour and trafficking in high-incidence areas of Ghana, particularly cocoa-growing and fishing communities.
Ms. Priscilla Yawson, Child Protection and Advocacy Specialist at ACRAD, said the My Rights, My Future project seeks to promote and protect child rights, enhance access to education, and strengthen sustainable child protection systems across targeted communities.
Project districts include Krachi East, Krachi West and Kadjebi in the Oti Region, and the Kpando Municipality in the Volta Region.
“Marking the World Day Against Child Labour aligns with the project’s objectives to raise awareness and galvanize action towards ending child labour in all its forms,” Ms. Yawson stated.
Ms. Josephine E. G. Baffoe, Project Officer at Right To Play, acknowledged the efforts of parents in raising their children but urged them to avoid overburdening them with work. “Our goal is to ensure that every child goes to school. We will be working in the Ampeyo community from now until 2027 and ask for your full support,” she said.
Mr. Eric Arthur Fynn, Kadjebi District Director of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), highlighted the serious consequences of child trafficking and called for comprehensive prevention, protection, and support efforts for victims.
Mr. Isaac Robson Klu, Head of Social Welfare and Community Development in the district, cited a recent UNICEF and ILO report indicating that nearly 138 million children were engaged in child labour globally in 2024, including 54 million in hazardous work. He announced the formation of a 9-member Community Child Protection Committee in Ampeyo to support local child protection efforts.
According to the report, sub-Saharan Africa remains the most affected region, with 87 million children in child labour.
While global numbers have declined from 160 million in the 2016–2020 period to 138 million in 2021–2024, the UN’s 2025 target for eliminating child labour remains unlikely to be achieved.
The national theme for the 2025 World Day Against Child Labour is: “Progress is clear, but there’s more to do: Let’s speed up efforts.”
GNA
Edied b: Maxwell Awumah/Kenneth Odeng Adade