Norwegian-funded project supports over 100 women in Upper West Region

More than 100 women in the Upper West Region have received training and essential tools to kickstart economic endeavors, thanks to the "Combating Modern Slavery (CMS)" project, Graphic Online reports.

Spanning three years and supported by over $1 million from the Norwegian Government (NORAD), in collaboration with ActionAid Ghana (AAG), the initiative aims to eradicate various forms of modern slavery,

Read full articleincluding child labor, trafficking, and forced labor, from 25 communities in the region.

This comprehensive project has empowered a total of 400 women across 100 communities in 12 districts spread across five regions: Northern, Bono, Upper West, Savannah, and Oti. The targeted districts include Nanumba South, Kpandai, East Gonja, Jaman North and South, Tain, Jasikan, Nkwanta South, Kadjebi, Lawra, Sissala East, and Wa East.

During a recent regional stakeholders meeting on the CMS project in Wa, the Country Director of AAG, John Nkaw, highlighted the significant progress made.

Through capacity-building initiatives and the provision of startup resources, the project has notably enhanced the livelihoods of women in the region, thereby reducing their susceptibility to modern slavery.

Nkaw expressed gratitude to the various stakeholders, including the Ghana Agriculture Workers Union (GAWU), the Ghana Immigration Service, the Police Service, and traditional authorities, for their collaboration in ensuring the success of the CMS project.

Additionally, the involvement of 51 participants from diverse public and private sector organizations underscored the collective effort to combat modern slavery in the region.

Ali Gbene Malik, representing the consultants who evaluated the CMS project, emphasized that many issues related to modern slavery stem from unfair cultural practices.

He noted that child trafficking, in particular, exposes children to forced labor locally in households, farms, and the fishing industry, while internationally, they are subjected to prostitution and cybercrimes across borders