A child labour monitoring report by Child Rights International (CRI) has indicated that a total of 33,180 children from 906 cocoa communities in seven regions of Ghana are at risk of child labour.
Out of the number, 64.1 percent are likely to be male with the remaining 35.9 percent being females.
The seven regions where this risk prevails are: Ahafo, Bono, Ashanti, Eastern, Central, Western and Western North.
Launched in Accra, the 60-page report also stated that 80 percent of children in those seven regions are also engaged in domestic labour activities.
Presenting the report dubbed ‘Sustaining efforts in the elimination of child labour in cocoa’, the Executive Director of CRI, Mr. Bright Appiah, said this year’s survey was designed to determine the prevalence rate of child labour in some cocoa farming communities in seven regions.
According to Mr. Appiah, the study focused on the percentage of children engaged in child labour; those engaged in harzadous child labour; children at risk of child labour; and children engaged in worst forms of child labour.
“The survey also evaluated the risk factors that can be harmful to children mentally, physically, spiritually, socially and morally; as well as interference with their education by denying them the opportunity to attend school, forcing them to leave school prematurely. The report covers the period August 2020 to December 2021,” Mr. Appiah said.
Findings
Outlining some of the report’s findings, Mr. Appiah said about 48.7 percent of children between the ages of 5-17 years had been engaged in economic activities during the past year before the survey.
Furthermore, results of the survey revealed that 23. 3 of children had engaged in cocoa farming in the past year before the survey.
“About 28.1 percent of children are engaged in domestic chores,” Mr. Appiah added.
Per the report, he said two out of every 10 children (22.5%) were engaged in hazardous child labour activities which might be harmful to their health, safety and wellbeing.
“A high proportion of children (19.3%) are engaged in hazardous child labour in the cocoa value chain. Also, the results show that 64.8 percent of children are at risk of child labour in its worst forms,” Mr. Appiah indicated.
He said results of the survey showed that 93.1 percent of children who work on cocoa farms are engaged frequently on weekends.
According to Mr. Appiah, CRI in collaboration with its partners has devoted resources and manpower to address issues which stifle the growth and development of children.
“With the commitment to protect Children and ensure that they grow in safe environments, CRI along with its partners is working to tackle the issues of child labour and child protection in the cocoa-growing communities,” he added.
Mr. Appiah said the survey’s objective was to collect, analyse and report the incidence of child labour in cocoa-growing communities.
“It was also to provide adequate information on child labour to support planning interventions for community development,” he said.
Recommendations
Making recommendations on how to combat child labour, Mr. Appiah said government should coordinate planning, implementation and responses to child labour activities in cocoa sector.
He also emphasised the need for regulatory bodies to ensure compliance with existing laws for curbing child labour.
Mr. Appiah also called for sensitisation of dwellers in cocoa-growing communities about the safety risks and health consequences facing children working on cocoa farms.
