The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has warned that child labour is keeping thousands of children out of school in Ghana, despite constitutional protections and international commitments aimed at ending the practice.
“The fulfilment of children’s rights is among the most fundamental measures of a society’s commitment to human dignity and social justice,” the Commission said in a statement on June 12, 2026, marking the 2026 World Day Against Child Labour.
It added that child labour remains a major barrier to education and development, saying it “continues to deprive many children of their right to education, protection, development and a safe and dignified childhood.”
The Commission said the problem persists even though Ghana has legal safeguards under the 1992 Constitution, the Children’s Act, 1998 (Act 560), and international conventions, including the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.
It warned that the scale of child labour remains “deeply concerning,” noting that globally about 138 million children are engaged in child labour, including nearly 54 million in hazardous work.
In Ghana, it cited Ghana Statistical Service data showing that more than 1.1 million children aged 5–17 were engaged in economic activity in 2023, with over 458,000 of them not attending school.
“Alarmingly, over 458,000 of these children were not attending school,” the statement said, adding that this reflects “the difficult reality that many children continue to miss out on education and opportunities that could shape a better future and help end the cycle of poverty.”
The Commission called for renewed national commitment to tackling the issue under the theme “Red Card to Child Labour: Fair Play for Children, Decent Work for Adults,” stressing that child labour is not only a social issue but a violation of rights guaranteed under both national and international law.
It urged stronger action to address conditions that expose children to exploitation, warning that failure to act risks deepening inequality and undermining long-term development.
