Human Rights Issues of Child Labour and Economic Activities: The Way Forward

This study sought to explore the issues of child labour and its human rights implications within the context of the spirit and goals of the United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). The issue was also examined in line with the national and other international instruments and principles on the protection and promotion of the rights of the child. Child labour is seen as a global phenomenon. Just like other developing countries, Ghana has percentage of its children engaged in labour. This study was therefore centred on the human rights issues of child labour and economic activities in the Aowin and Suaman Districts of Ghana. The objectives of the study were to assess: the causes of child labour in the Aowin and Suaman Districts; and the economic activities in the districts in which majority of child labourers are engaged in. Sequential mixed method approach was employed. Questionnaire, interviews, focus group discussion and observation were employed as the data collection instruments. A total of 500 respondents were selected from five different target groups, namely, teachers, head teachers, children, opinion leaders and parents/guardians for the study. Purposive, convenience and snowballing sampling techniques were employed for the study. The findings of the study indicated that the fundamental reason why children are forced to work in the study areas is poverty. Cocoa farming sub-sector is identified as the major agricultural activity where most (88.4 percent) of the children are engaged in the Aowin and Suaman Districts. It is recommended that there should be sustainable livelihood strategies like resourcing identified vulnerable families to carry out viable ventures that will help reduce poverty in the catchment zone.