Juaben MP, MCE, IJM Intensify Fight Against Child Labour and Human Rights Abuses

Stakeholders warn against child involvement in galamsey and other hazardous work, call for stronger community action to protect children

By Justice Baffour Awuah l/DailyWatchGH.com

The Member of Parliament for Juaben Constituency, Hon. Francis Owusu-Akyaw, in collaboration with the International Justice Mission (IJM), has intensified efforts to combat child labour, human trafficking and human rights abuses in the Asante Juaben Municipality.

As part of the initiative, the MP, together with IJM, organised a stakeholders’ engagement meeting to deliberate on child protection, human rights and the growing threat of children being exposed to hazardous forms of labour.

The meeting brought together representatives from the Juaben Traditional Council, Christian Council, Muslim Community, Department of Social Welfare, National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), among other stakeholders.

Participants shared their perspectives and proposed measures aimed at strengthening child protection and promoting a positive transformation in communities across the municipality.

Due to the MP’s engagement in other official meetings, the Municipal Chief Executive for Asante Juaben, Hon. Eunice Ohenewa Ansu, represented him and addressed the gathering on his behalf.

Hon. Ansu reaffirmed the Assembly’s commitment to strengthening child protection mechanisms and called on all stakeholders, particularly Assembly Members and community leaders, to take an active interest in the welfare and development of children.

She stressed that children constitute the future of the country and therefore require collective protection from practices that could jeopardise their education, health, safety and overall development.

According to the MCE, a number of children continue to engage in hard and hazardous labour, including activities associated with illegal mining (galamsey), exposing them to serious risks and threatening their future prospects.

She therefore urged traditional authorities, religious leaders, Assembly Members, parents and other community stakeholders to work together to identify and prevent situations that expose children to harmful labour.

“Every community leader has a responsibility to safeguard the wellbeing and future of our children,” she emphasised.

Hon. Ansu further appealed to stakeholders to intensify education within their respective communities, encourage parents to protect their children from hazardous work and ensure that children’s fundamental rights are respected.

IJM Commends Juaben’s Efforts

The Community Engagement Specialist at the International Justice Mission, Mr. Richard Akwasi Offei, commended the Juaben MP and the MCE for their commitment to reducing child labour and protecting vulnerable children.

He observed that the Asante Juaben Municipality and Kumawu District were performing relatively well compared with some other districts in efforts to address child labour.

Mr. Offei assured stakeholders that IJM would continue to collaborate with Parliament, Municipal and District Assemblies, traditional councils, Social Welfare and other relevant institutions to strengthen the protection of children.

He said the organisation would continue working with stakeholders to prevent children from being subjected to hard labour and human trafficking while promoting their rights and wellbeing.

The stakeholders meeting forms part of broader efforts to ensure that children in the Asante Juaben Municipality grow up in safe environments, remain in school and are protected from exploitation and other forms of abuse.

The participants consequently called for sustained collaboration among government institutions, traditional authorities, religious bodies, civil society organisations, parents and community members to make child protection a shared responsibility.