The world marks World Day against Child Labour today with the theme; Generation Safe and Healthy. The day which is celebrated on 12^th June each year will focus on the need to end child labour and to improve the safety and health of young workers.

According to Mr. Emmanuel Kwame Mensah who works with the International Labour Organization – Ghana Office, there has been significant progress in curbing the menace of child labour. This is because the awareness is expanding and more people are getting to appreciate the fact that engaging children in work that is not appropriate for their age and development is unhealthy both for the children and for the economy in the long term because child labour breeds unskilled youth who therefore cannot be employed even if there are job opportunities.

According to him World Day against Child Labour started more than a decade ago and it has created a lot of awareness. “Secondly, I think that it has created a platform where key stakeholders can come together to deliberate on strategies on how to really make an impact and reduce the numbers of children who are involved in child labour. So yes, from advocacy point of view, WDACL has provided the platform for the globe and for countries to reaffirm their commitment to deal with child labour” he added.

When asked whether those who needed the education on ending child labor are being reached, Mr. Mensah explained that from the governance perspective, those who have access and control of resources who give instructions and make things happen are appreciating the message more. “We are hoping that we get less and less members of parliament and ministers who say that because they also did this work they don’t understand why noise is being made about child labour” said Mr. Mensah.

Ghana currently has a minister for Employment and Labour Relations who has declared himself a child labour ambassador. For Mr. Mensah, this is someone in authority who has taken it upon himself to lead the fight against child labour and this is a significant progress. Last year, the president of the republic made very expressive statements on “May Day” regarding child labour and asked us to stop hiding behind the shadows and calling this a casual issue and mentioned that it was really a shameful thing for us to be having child labour in this time and it’s affecting our country.

Earlier in May, the National Plan of Action (NPA2) was launched by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection. The NPA2 spells out the roles that civil society, judges and lawyers, employers and other agencies need to play in order for progress to be made.

According to Mr. Mensah, the NPA1 had good intentions but there were challenges with resource mobilization. Under NPA2, there are very clear strategies to mobilize resources so that the intended actions can actually be executed. “Practically now, all we are saying is that the budgets must be dispersed and the minister for employment and labour relations again, has made a public statement to the effect that they have committed five hundred thousand Ghana cedis towards child labour and of course this is less than what is needed but its an indication that resources are being mobilized” says Mr. Mensah.

Child labour prevents children from having quality education. It prevents them from growing into adults with employable and cutting edge high demand skills. So we should not engage in child labour. Mr. Mensah explained that asking children not to engage in hazardous labour does not mean that children are not allowed to do any activity. “There is part of our work which is not harmful and it’s appropriate for their age and also helps children to socialize and grow well. This is important because it even helps in their intellectual and academic development. Child labour as the constitution states, “is work that threatens the education, health and development of the child” we must stop it.”

Binta Alhassan

CYIB – Curious Minds