Ada East NCCE and Social Welfare Department Educate Public on Child Labour

Ada East District Office of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), in collaboration with the Social Welfare Department, has held a media engagement programme on Eagle FM to educate the public on child labour and its negative impact on children, families and society.

As part of efforts to deepen public awareness on child protection, the programme focused on the rights and welfare of children and the need for collective action against practices that deny children the opportunity to grow, learn and develop in a safe environment.

Resource persons explained during the discussion that child labour remains a serious challenge in many communities and must not be accepted as a normal way of life. They noted that while children may be guided to support light household chores as part of their upbringing, any work that endangers their health, interrupts their education, exposes them to abuse, or places responsibilities beyond their age amounts to child labour.

Discussions also focused on the causes, effects and legal implications of child labour. Poverty, parental neglect, lack of awareness, broken homes, irresponsible parenting and the demand for cheap labour were identified as some of the factors that contribute to the problem. However, participants were reminded that these factors should not be used to justify the exploitation of children or the denial of their basic rights.

According to the resource persons, child labour has serious consequences for both children and society. It deprives children of education, affects their physical and emotional well-being, exposes them to danger and limits their future opportunities. Children who are forced into labour at an early age may lose confidence, perform poorly in school, drop out entirely, or become vulnerable to abuse and exploitation.

Attention was also drawn to the legal implications of child labour. Members of the public were reminded that children are protected under the laws of Ghana, and that parents, guardians, employers and community members have a responsibility to respect the rights, dignity, safety and development of every child.

Parents and guardians were encouraged to prioritize the education, health and welfare of their children. They were also urged to provide proper guidance, supervision and support to help children grow into responsible and productive adults.

Community leaders, opinion leaders, teachers, religious leaders and the general public were called upon to support efforts aimed at eliminating child labour. The public was further encouraged to report suspected cases of child labour, abuse or neglect to the appropriate authorities for timely intervention.

By engaging the public through radio, Ada East NCCE and the Social Welfare Department reaffirmed their commitment to promoting children’s rights, protecting vulnerable children and strengthening public education on issues that affect the welfare and development of young people in the district.

All stakeholders were urged to treat the fight against child labour as a shared responsibility, since every child deserves protection, education, care and the opportunity to build a better future.