CHRAJ Calls for Renewed Action Against Child Labour as Ghana Marks 2026 World Day
The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, CHRAJ, is calling for renewed commitment to ending all forms of child labour.
It comes as Ghana joins the world to mark the 2026 World Day Against Child Labour under the theme “Red Card to Child Labour: Fair Play for Children, Decent Work for Adults.”
In a statement, CHRAJ said the fulfilment of children’s rights is one of the most fundamental measures of a society’s commitment to human dignity and social justice.
Yet child labour continues to deprive many children in Ghana and globally of their right to education, protection, development, and a safe childhood.
The Commission noted that beyond its social and economic effects, child labour constitutes a violation of rights guaranteed under the Children’s Act, 1998 (Act 560), the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.
All recognise every child’s right to protection, education, and dignity.
CHRAJ described the scale of the problem as “deeply concerning.” Globally, about 138 million children remain engaged in child labour, including nearly 54 million in hazardous work that threatens their health and development.
In Ghana, recent data from the Ghana Statistical Service show that more than 1.1 million children aged 5-17 were engaged in economic activity in 2023.
Alarmingly, over 458,000 of them were not attending school, highlighting how many children continue to miss education and opportunities that could break the cycle of poverty.
The Commission said this year’s theme is a timely reminder that eliminating child labour requires more than removing children from work. It demands addressing underlying drivers such as poverty, inequality, limited social protection, and barriers to quality education.
These priorities align with commitments Ghana made under the Fourth Cycle Universal Periodic Review to strengthen poverty reduction, expand social protection, and improve education access for vulnerable children.
CHRAJ stressed that improving adult livelihoods and promoting decent work are critical to stopping children from entering the labour force prematurely.
As the day is commemorated, CHRAJ is urging government and stakeholders to intensify efforts to identify, protect, and rehabilitate children subjected to child labour; Strengthen community awareness and reporting mechanisms; Expand social protection programmes; and ensure every child has access to quality education and opportunities to fully develop.
Story by Hajara Fuseini
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