Child trafficking into forced labor on lake volta, ghana. Ghana s continuing child labor and trafficking problem was recognized by a second year tier 2. The iom yeji project quickly caught attention for its work in rescuing children from a form of modern day slavery. These child trafficking in g hana statistics in ghana is not something new. A form of trafficking in persons whose purpose is to subject children to forced labor. Actions in the fight against child trafficking, exploitation and child labor cns. Department of state, office to monitor and combat trafficking in persons.
This report presents the results of a study into the nature and scale of osec in the philippines. In ghana, the internal trafficking of children into hazardous labour is a major challenge. The government committed to use the trafficking in persons information system developed by the international organization for migration to improve case tracking and interministerial coordinated responses. Child trafficking is one of the worst forms of child maltreatment and is often difficult to recognize when it happens intracountry.
Ms elizabeth hagan, head of child labour unit of the ministry of manpower development and employment, said at a. Combating trafficking in children for labour exploitation in west. The strategies accentuated systems and structures towards achieving. Cote divoire, gabon, ghana, mali, nigeria and togo. More than 500 instances of child trafficking were uncovered in 20 communities surveyed in the 2016 phase of the study. As many as 24,000 children are victims of worst forms of child labor annually in ghana. Child trafficking in ghana issue 4 september 2007 saving the fishing children of ghana, west africa ioms trafficked children project in ghana began in october 2002 with the support of the us state department, bureau of population, refugees, and migration prm. Child labour trafficking in the lake volta fishery of ghana. In june of 2009, the usa department of trafficking in persons report released a full report documenting at least 30,000 children working as porters, fishermen and others primarily being used for sexual tourism.
A critique of the ghanacentric child trafficking discourse core. Many of the children in our rural communities are visibly stunted or malnourished. Child labour in india as per census 1971 to census 2001 and shows that the number of child labour has increased from 10. A number of organisations in ghana rescue trafficked children, and challenging heights is. Current patterns of child trafficking in west and central africa although, child trafficking is a global problem, the practice is particularly widespread in some regions. Specifically, the study asks about the root causes of child trafficking in the case of ghana, and why the laws against trafficking enacted there are not adequately enforced. Though figures vary, it is estimated that every year, millions of men, women and children are trafficked in countries around the world. Jun 30, 2016 the trafficking in persons report recognizes the trafficking problems we all know exist in ghana forced labor, child labor and sex trafficking of children and adults. Jun, 2019 human trafficking is a global problem affecting millions of people and many countries. This paper presents the narratives of children on their experiences as victims of trafficking in fishing communities along the volta lake in the volta region of ghana. Child trafficking into forced labour on lake volta, ghana ijm. Ghanas open access fishery continues to create an avenue for many fishers to employ illegal and unsustainable fishing practices, and many children are caught.
The majority of children subject to human trafficking within ghana are. Ghana are ignorance and lack of education, the ghanaian culture of sending away. This study was led by ijm, in partnership with the philippine government and a variety of stakeholders, under the u. Causes of child trafficking lund university publications. Pdf adoption practices fueling child trafficking in ghana. Jan 25, 2019 challenging heights is an organization committed to ending child trafficking in ghana, reducing child slavery and promoting children s rights in the country. Jun 29, 2018 although ghana does not meet the minimum standards for the elimination of human trafficking, these increased efforts have resulted in ghana s upgrade from tier 2 watch list to a tier 2 ranking in the 2018 tip report. They are currently focused on child labor, especially in the fishing and cocoa industry. The lived experiences of trafficked children in ghana. This standard operating procedure sop manual is intended as a guide. The nonconsensual exploitation of ghanaian citizens, particularly children, is more common than the trafficking of foreign migrants. Assessing progress in reducing child labor in cocoa. Findings on the worst forms of child labor ghana u.
Through the interviews it was found that, the root causes of trafficking in. Ghanaian children are increasingly suffering sexual abuse. Clatfree fisheries sector in ghana through effective protection of children and prosecution. Children in ghana engage in the worst forms of child labor, including in fishing and cocoa harvesting, each. Philippine child protection compact cpc partnership between the u. Ending child trafficking in ghana the borgen project. In 2019, ghana made a minimal advancement in efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labor. Child protection compact interventions to address child trafficking in fishing in ghana. Child trafficking and child labour on the rise in ghana.
The purpose of this baseline study was to document the scope and nature of child trafficking in lake voltas fishing industry. In order to combat child trafficking in ghana, especially at the fishing sector, there is the need to adopt poverty alleviation strategies, good resource management at the fishing sector, appropriate education and information for awareness and effective legal approach. This study examines the causes of child trafficking in ghana, some interventions and efforts directed at reducing child trafficking and policy implementation challenges faced by local and international conventions that seek to advance the human rights of children as a result of the lack. This policy also takes into account how a child is defined in the ghanaian context in relation to. Special considerations for child victims of trafficking. International justice mission child trafficking into forced. Causes of child labour and trafficking in fisheries and the need to eliminate clat 12 1. A national child labour survey by the ghana statistical service indicated that out of the over six million children in ghana of schoolgoing age between five years and seven years, 1. It is important to note, however, that it is not the quantity of trafficking in any given country that is being evaluated. Combating child trafficking in the cocoa industry and other. This paper is a critique of the dominant anti trafficking discourse and activism in ghana.
Pdf understanding child trafficking and its magnitude. The study use previous work on trafficking to form a theoretical framework, by constructed categories. By raggie johansen human trafficking is an international problem affecting millions of people and many countries around the world. Internationally recognized media outlets such as new york. The majority of children subject to human trafficking are transported within ghana for labor in cocoa, domestic work, commercial sexual exploitation, gold mining, and fishing. Iom supports ghana with trafficking in persons information. Standard operating procedures to combat human trafficking in. Department of state office to monitor and combat trafficking in persons and the government of the philippines. Children as young as age 4 are subjected to forced. Here in west africa, millions of youth are affected by this brutal, entrenched trade. May 25, 2018 on 24 april, iom in partnership with the governments of ghana and the us launched the standard operating procedures to combat human trafficking in ghana, with an emphasis on child trafficking.
Although cultural norms regarding child labor vary, 3 international conventions outline the legal conditions of child labor united nations convention on the rights of the child, international labour. Identify the most affected regions of cote divoire and ghana where child trafficking and exploitation take place, and the regionscountries of origins of trafficked. Ghana improves to tier 2 ranking in 2018 trafficking in. A major cause of child trafficking is child labour. Pdf on jan 1, 2018, rex mname osei sarpong and others published adoption practices fueling child trafficking in ghana find, read and. Pdf child trafficking is one of the worst forms of child maltreatment and is often difficult to recognize when it happens. Africa and south asia especially the mekong area are among the worst. Standard operating procedures to combat human traf. Globally, human trafficking is defined in the palermo protocol,5 although interpretation of the definition varies among countries. Act 694 human trafficking act, 2005 4 the best interest of the child shall be paramount in assistance given to the rescue, rehabilitation and reintegration of a trafficked child.
Ghana is a country of origin, transit, and destination for women and children subjected to trafficking in persons, specifically forced labor and forced prostitution. National plan of action for the elimination of human. It is an unpardonable crime and a grave violation of human rights. Blank center for safe and healthy children at children s healthcare of atlanta.
Though human trafficking goes on between ghana and other countries, trafficking within the country is more prevalent than transnational trafficking and majority of these victims are children who according to a survey report in 2003 by the ghana statistical services are numbering around 1. Human trafficking or trafficking in persons tip is modernday slavery. Ghana ngos coalition on the rights of the child gncrc is an affiliate of ecpat international ghana ngos coalition on the rights of the child gncrc p. This policy recognises a child as a person below the age of 18. The first ladys dedication to the betterment of children in cote divoire is well known and without her support and commitment this project would not have been possible. Child trafficking, child labour, the trokosi system, female genital mutilation fgm, defilement, neglect, sexual abuse and others are on increase among children in ghana. Ngos, government agencies and local leaders await new bill africa in its effort to eliminate child trafficking in 2002, the government joined the international labour organization ilo and international programme on the elimination of child labour ipec subregional programme entitled combating the trafficking of children for. This series on standard operating procedures to combat human trafficking in ghana was made possible through support provided by the united states department of state, under the terms of award no. The study used data gathered from media and institutional reports as well as research articles on child trafficking in ghana. The acts composition was mainly guided by the united nations protocol to prevent, suppress and punish trafficking in persons, especially women and children palermo protocol,2 which is the primary. International programme on the elimination of child.
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