CHRAJ holds annual human rights lectures

The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, (CHRAJ) on Thursday held its annual human rights lectures in Accra with focus on eliminating worst form of child labour.

Ms Lauretta Lamptey, CHRAJ Commissioner said since its inception in 2005, the annual lectures have become part of the monitoring tools employed by the Commission to promote and protect freedoms and fundamental human rights.

She said the Commission in its pursuit of promoting and protecting children’s rights has since 2009 handled complaints of child labour issues and has spread its tentacles to cover trafficking and child prostitution.

Ms Lamptey said the Commission also monitors child labour and its worst forms across the country and work closely with stakeholders to curb the menace, which is destroying the lives of thousands of children.

Ms Sylvia Hinson-Ekong of the Future Resource Development, a non-governmental organisation who spoke on the theme: “Ghana’s commitment to eliminating child labour” noted that child labour constitutes a threat to the health, education and development of the victims.

She said there are prospects of eliminating child labour because it is man made and called on stakeholders including the Executive and Legislature to make the issue a priority.

Ms Hinson-Ekong asked the citizenry to report child abuse cases to ensure the care and protection of the vulnerable.

Ms Elizabeth Akanbombire, Representative from the Child Labour Unit of the Labour Department said government has since 2009 set up a National Plan of Action (NPA) with the aim of reducing the worst forms of child labour to the barest minimum by 2015.

She said the NPA has its focus on prevention and its prioritised areas include child trafficking, fishing, ritual servitude, mining and quarrying, porterage of heavy loads and commercial sex exploitation of children.

She said, a major challenge facing the NPA in the implementation of its policies is funding and even though it was captured in the government 2011 and 2012 fiscal budget, no money was released to enable it carry out its projects.

She said there is the need for lead institutions under the NPA to complete their institutional action plan and called on government and other stakeholders to show commitment towards the realisation of the goals of the organisation.

Source: GNA