As part of efforts to create awareness and address the impact of child labour and trafficking along the coast of the Greater Accra region, Curious Minds has held community interactive theatre sessions in Chorkor, Tema Newtown and Azizanya in Ada, as part of its Children Against Child Labour and Trafficking (ChACLaT) project implemented under the Ghana Fisheries Recovery Activity with funding from USAID. These interactive theatre sessions included drama on child labour and trafficking, dancing and open forum discussions on ending the menace in the various communities.

Speaking at the opening of theatre session in Chorkor, Honorable Theophilus Quaye (the Assembly member for the area), welcomed this initiative by Curious Minds and pledged his support for the eradication of the issues of child labour and trafficking by addressing the critical issues and concerns. On the other hand, the children in the community came up with a drama addressing the critical issues they face in the community exposing the dangers in the community. “Children who are forced to engage in fishing activities are not well compensated or paid well”, said Nii Sarpei, a youth community member, as he expressed emotionally about the devastating effects of fishing on the community. He pleaded with law enforcement agencies like the police to arrest these perpetrators of this unlawful acts and bring them to book.    

Meanwhile, according to a resident in Tema Newtown who says she is aware of child labour and trafficking happening in the community, she said some men don’t provide for the home, and whatever it takes for her to take care of her children, she will do that for the children to have a better life. She then pleaded for men to own up to their responsibilities.The possible causes of these issues of child labour and trafficking were exhibited during the drama which led to an open forum discussion on the roles stakeholders, including parents and community leaders, can play in resolving these issues children face in the various fishing communities.

What role do human rights institutions play in tackling these issues children face? Human rights institutions are very key to the development of children’s wellbeing as they are responsible for promoting and monitoring the effective implementation of human rights standards. The District Director for the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) in Azizanya, Elizabeth Hammond Agyemang, stressed that the laws of Ghana are against engaging children in any form of child labour, including fishing. She then emphasized that young people in the community should report such incidences to the Commission so that perpetrators will be brought to book. She cautioned all parents to refrain from giving their children out to be trafficked.

Some children including ChACLaT ambassadors had a drama dubbed “Irresponsible Parenting”. The drama brought to light the role parents play in the proper development of children and their wellbeing. The drama exposed a lot of issues to the extent that parents present at the occasion were pushed to shed light on why they engage their children in those acts. Nene Kabutey Otiboe, the Chief Fisherman for Azizanya commended Curious Minds for putting together this activity. He then pledged to sponsor a ChACLaT ambassador to a tertiary institution to pursue a career of his choice by way of appreciating the efforts of the ChACLaT ambassadors in addressing child labour and trafficking and the threat it poses in the community.

In wrapping up the activities, community members and elders looked forward for more engagements in the future to tackle these issues facing the communities. The commitment from the Assembly member for Chorkor also encouraged many parents to train their children so they don’t end up falling victims to these acts. The District Director for CHRAJ in Azizanya also emphasized that her office is open to welcome cases of child labour and trafficking in order for them to be properly dealt with.