The Ghanaian Journal

Ignorance of the Children Act under the Constitution and its application has been identified as one of the major causes of child labour in the country.

Mr. David Atinga, the Coordinator of the Federation of Women Lawyers, Ghana in-charge of the Upper East Region made this observation on Friday at a day’s training session workshop organized by FIDA in Bolgatanga.

The training session, which attracted stakeholders from Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS), Immigration Service, Ghana Private Road and Transport Union(GPRTU), Police, Assembly members, CHRAJ, Teachers and Parents among others, was aimed at producing a core dedicated people to champion the child labour issues and to advocate against it to reduce the menace in societies.

Mr. Atinga observed that findings of various studies had proved that it was not only parents who were ignorance of the laws relating to child labour and the issues of child rights, but also law enforcement agencies such as the police, custom officials and legal practitioners as well as the Judiciary.

He explained that based on the ignorance of the laws and its application, majority of children rights were violated and many of them under the age of 18 years were forced to undertake child labour work.

Mr. Atinga indicated that the Children Act of 560(1998) stipulated what constituted child labour under section 87 which included using a child for labour beyond his or her capabilities and said in Ghana many children below the age of 18 were engaged in mining and stone quarry industry, street hawking, fishing, herding cattle and sheep and chop bars among others, which was child rights violation.

He also stressed that under the children Act, child prostitution or any work that affected the health, education and the general welfare and the development of the child was a violation against Children Rights.

He said a survey conducted by the Ghana Statistical Service in 2003, indicated that 39 percent of Ghanaian Children between 5 and 17 years were engaged in child labour and said the issue needed to be tackled with multi-facet approach.

He appealed to all stakeholders to get actively involved in the fight against the menace and urged parents to give birth to a reasonable number of children they could afford to take good care of.

Mr. Atinga called on the laws enforcement agencies to study the children Act properly in order to be abreast with it to enable them to apply it when dealing with issues of child abuse.

Mrs. Saratu Mahama, the resource person and the Northern Regional Coordinator of FIDA took the participants through the Children Act, including topics such as; “The worse forms of Child Labour, Child Trafficking, Gender and Child Labour and The Roles of Law Enforcement Agencies, Traditional Authorities, GPRTU, Parents, Teachers and the Effects of Child Labour on Children,” among others.

She noted that the dream of Ghana to achieve the Millennium Development Goal by 2015 would be a mirage if issues affecting the rights of children were not addressed and appealed to parents to play their role by ensuring that children have the right to life, dignity and respect.

“Every parent or guardian has the duty to provide guidance and assistance and maintenance to ensure the survival and development of the child under the Children Act”, Mrs. Mahama stressed.
GNA