By Franklin ASARE-DONKOH
Ghana, Japan and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have officially launched a landmark US$2.3 million public-private partnership to combat child labour across the country.
With an estimated 1.1 million children currently engaged in child labour in Ghana, the partnership addresses an urgent funding gap in the child protection sector.
The project targets five key regions—Ashanti, Eastern, Western North, Ahafo, and Central—to strengthen child safeguarding across these areas, particularly in the agriculture, fisheries, and illegal mining sectors.
This twelve-month initiative focuses on strengthening the national protective environment, leveraging Japanese innovation and private-sector expertise to protect over 13,000 vulnerable children and caregivers.
By integrating digital transformation, the initiative will upgrade the national Ghana Child Labour Monitoring System, ensuring seamless data sharing between the Ministry of Labour, Jobs and Employment, the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, and private-sector partners.
The partnership specifically advances the Women, Peace, and Security agenda by empowering adolescent girls and enhancing the role of women in decision-making.
Furthermore, the project addresses “Green Transformation” by supporting sustainable practices within rural communities.
Through this collaboration, Japan and Ghana are expanding the established Child Labour Free Zone as a proof of concept for ethical sourcing, ensuring that Ghana’s primary exports meet international human rights due diligence standards.
“Japan is committed to fostering a global industrial ecosystem where economic growth and human rights go hand in hand,” said His Excellency Hiroshi Yoshimoto, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Ghana.
“Through this investment, we are bringing Japanese innovation and private-sector expertise to the forefront of Ghana’s mission to end child labour.
By strengthening human rights due diligence and promoting ‘Green Transformation’ in agriculture and mining communities, we are ensuring that the bonds of trade between our two nations are built on a foundation of dignity and shared prosperity.”
“Everything is connected: a child’s protection, their education, and their family’s economic resilience.
This partnership is transformative because it addresses the root causes of child labour through a multi-sectoral lens. By integrating digital technology to make vulnerable children ‘visible’ to social services, we are strengthening the systems that keep families together.
Investing in the protection of Ghana’s children is the smartest investment we can make for the country’s long-term development,” added Osama Makkawi Khogali, UNICEF Representative in Ghana.
