The Afigya Kwabre South District Assembly through the Department of Social Welfare & Community Development commemorated the “World Day Against Child Labour” with a one (1) month period of set out programmes, activities and interventions to help address the reported child labour concerns in the district. These series of interventions started from the 12th June to the 13th July, 2023. The 12th day of June is always set aside to address child labour concerns globally.
The Department led the organisation of the 2023 World Day Against Child Labour in four (4) communities in the district with a sensitisation drive to the Atimatim & Buoho markets, a community forum at Aboabogya, an intervention at the Bandex Battery at Buoho, and an engagement with (2) Community Based Organisations (CBOs); namely Togumeso Fun club at Sasa & Boa Wo Nua Fun club at Atimatim Kokoase.
The issues or topics discussed with the audience includes;
- The prevalence of Child Abuse & Child Labour
- The Impact of Child Abuse / Labour on children
- Preventing harmful impacts of Child Abuse/Labour on children
- Identifying support groups for victims of child labour
- Projecting the department’s preparedness towards addressing the concerns of the vulnerable (especially children)
The above issues of abuse on children were addressed through sensitisation using flash cards on child labour; making it more practicable and demonstrative for the audience to understand and speak to the issues.
Sensitisation Programme at the Markets
This engagement took place during the peak days or market days in the separate market centres at Atimatim and Buoho communities. The traders were sensitised on the dangers of abusing children either knowingly or unknowingly through hazardous work that could possibly affect a child’s health, education and psychosocial make up. The members of the team, led by Madam Diana Bumbie took the traders through the Child Protection community facilitation toolkit by showing them relevant flash cards that depicts acts of child labour or other forms of abuse to children. The implications or punishments under the laws of Ghana to persons who violates the rights of children were equally highlighted to the traders to make them desist from such acts.
The market women were enthused with the education and they were asked to report cases of child abuse to the department for redress. The traders used the opportunity to ask several questions bothering their minds concerning the issue of child labour. These traders requested for more engagements with them on child labour and other topical issues, which the team agreed to their request.
Engagement with Community Based Organisation (CBOs)
The Togumeso Fun club at Sasa and Boa Wo Nua Fun club at Atimatim Kokoase were contacted to organise themselves to meet the team led by Mr Godfred Atta Effah on their separate meeting days, which was on the 23rd June, 2023 & 10th July, 2023 respectively.
The members of these Fun clubs are individuals who are coming from different backgrounds and workplaces to form an association to address specific social needs or interests as a result of their current location.
They were sensitised on child protection concerns that were very important to help them improve a good child & family welfare environment. The issues of child labour was discussed with them using the CP community facilitation toolkit.
Community Engagement – Formation of Community Child Protection Committee
Madam Rahinatu Akola & Madam Mercy Dwomoh engaged with the Aboabogya community during one of their community engagement sessions. The topic of child labour was highlighted to the audience present where the flash cards showing various scenes of child labour were discussed. The stakeholders present were encouraged to put in place a community child protection committee to help in addressing child labour and other child protection concerns in the community.
Intervention at Bandex Backery
The District Social Development Officer, Mr Cheslyn Nutsugah, led his team of officers to the Bandex Bakery Company at Buoho to monitor the activities of these bread traders after the district had cautioned them to desist from engaging children from the sale of bread along the highway which is deemed as risky and causing danger to the life of these children who trade on the Buoho stretch of the Kumasi-Offinso highway. This intervention was one exemplary effort to practically put a halt to any form of harm to these children to mark this important global effort in addressing child labour.
The protection of children and other vulnerable persons have been the concern of the Social Services Sub-committee of the Assembly and by extension the General Assembly; where matters of the welfare of children and family are mostly prioritised.
Source: SWCD