Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has issued an urgent call to dismantle systemic child exploitation, revealing that more than 1.1 million children across the country are currently trapped in child labour.
The declaration was made in an official press statement issued by the Commission to commemorate the World Day Against Child Labour on 12th June 2026, under the global theme: “Red Card to Child Labour: Fair Play for Children, Decent Work for Adults.
The Scale of the Crisis
CHRAJ highlighted alarming data from the Ghana Statistical Service, which shows that out of the 1.1 million children aged 5–17 engaged in economic activity, over 458,000 are not attending school.
The Commission warned that this massive educational deficit directly undermines children’s development and locks vulnerable families into an ongoing cycle of poverty.
“The fulfilment of children’s rights is among the most fundamental measures of a society’s commitment to human dignity and social justice,” the Commission stated. “Yet, in Ghana and across the world, child labour continues to deprive many children of their right to education, protection, development, and a safe and dignified childhood.”
Constitutional and Global Violations
According to CHRAJ, the continuation of child labour is a severe breach of both domestic and international statutes designed to safeguard youth.
The practice actively violates the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, the Children’s Act of 1998 (Act 560), the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.
This crisis in Ghana mirrors a staggering global trend documented by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), which reveals that approximately 138 million children globally remain subjected to child labour, with nearly 54 million trapped in hazardous work environments that directly threaten their health and safety.
The Path Forward: Decent Work for Adults
The human rights watchdog emphasised that the crisis cannot be resolved without addressing root economic vulnerabilities.
To effectively eliminate the practice, CHRAJ is urging a dual approach that aligns with this year’s theme: enforcing strict protections for children while simultaneously ensuring decent work and stable economic conditions for adults, allowing parents to support their households without relying on child exploitation.