EU, GESP using music to combat child labour

The Ghana Employment and Social Protection (GESP) Programme is using music to fight child labour with support from the European Union (EU).

The project, a musical contest, is part of a series of activities by GESP aimed at ending child labour in Ghana and around the world in 2021.

Madam Maria Trongoso, Head of Governance, EU, said the United Nations had declared 2021 as the International Year for the Elimination of Child Labour, hence, the campaign towards raising awareness against child labour in Ghana.

She said the European Union was happy to be supporting the global fight against child labour through civil society organisations and commended the GESP Programme for embracing the campaign.

Madam Trongoso said the EU was taking effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking as well as the elimination of the worst forms of child labour by 2025.

She said the EU was executing other projects across the country as part of the campaign and that one of such interventions was in fishing communities in the Volta Region.

Madam Abena Annobea Asare, Head of the Human Trafficking Project, Ministry of Gender Children and Social protection said the fight against child labour was for all and urged parents to protect their children against any form of abuse in the society.

She commended the EU for initiating the programme, adding that, Ghana would surely win the fight against child labour.

Madam Asare said the Ministry had trained over 70 traditional leaders in communities to be ambassadors of child protection and hinted that government would roll out more programmes in 2021 aiming at eliminating all forms of child labour.

Madam Asare said two parents in the Volta Region had been jailed for 34 years for trafficking and that the Ministry was working with security agencies to prosecute individuals who engaged in those activities.

She said it was important for families to make homes conducive for children to grow well with love.