As part of activities to mark the World Day Against Child Labour earlier this month, Fairtrade Africa has held community sensitisation durbars in Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire.
Fairtrade’s theme for this year’s World Day Against Child Labour was “Together, Let’s end Child Labour through Social Protection”. The events were held on the 22nd and 24th June 2022 in Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire respectively and were attended by key stakeholders such as the departments of education, social welfare and social protection, as well as government officials from the local government and district local offices from both countries, including the Ivorian Coffee and Cocoa Council (Conseil Café Cacao), and National Commission of Human Rights. Representatives of non-governmental organisations such as ICI were also present at the two events.
In Ghana, the event was held in Siana community in the Ahafo region with Kukuom Farmers Cooperative Union. In Cote d’Ivoire, the event was held in Soubre, Aboisso, and Abengourou communities with Fairtrade certified producer organisations.
Fairtrade changes the way trade works through better prices, decent working conditions and a fairer deal for farmers and workers in developing countries. At Fairtrade, we believe that child labour has no place in our value chain so we work with all concerned stakeholders to tackle child labour within the agricultural value chain.
Fairtrade has been embarking on education and capacity building on child labour and social protection through its Flagship project the Youth Inclusive Community Based Monitoring and Evaluation, as well as through its training on Fairtrade standards, and the Dignity For All Project ( now Dignified Opportunities Nurtured through Trade and Sustainability programme). The durbar afforded the opportunity to showcase some of the initiatives that producers have undertaken under these interventions.
Through its Dignity for All projects Fairtrade has embarked on some initiatives together with key local stakeholders. These include advocacy using child make believe parliament, capacity building and training on social protection for teachers, and key stakeholders in the region.
Siana is one of the 6 primary societies of Kukuom Union in Ghana that has benefitted from the implementation of Fairtrade Child Labour Monitoring and Remediation System-the Youth Inclusive Monitoring and Remediation System. Through this, a mechanised borehole was constructed that has helped to prevent children walking long distances to the community stream to fetch water at the expense of being in the classroom during school hours.
The intervention has impacted on quality education as it serves as a source of drinking water for over 330 pupils and also the main source of water for cooking by the caterers of the Ghana School Feeding Programme to these kids daily. The Siana Basic school has testified of a remarked improvement in the academic performance of remediated cases since they were provided with bicycles, uniforms and back packs. The VSLA was also formed in the community to ensure that parents and guardians’ access quick loans and benefit from share out to invest in their farm operations including the hiring of labour.
In Ghana alone, FTA has worked to empower 8 certified producer organizations with a collective membership of 121,900 cocoa farmers to establish strong organizational management systems that has improved awareness raising, monitoring, prevention and remediation of child labour cases.
In both countries, FTA cocoa certified producer organizations have constructed educational infrastructure, supported students and pupils with scholarship and other educational materials in an effort to address child labour through quality education. Kwabena Kuma Society of Kukuom Cocoa Farmers union inaugurated and handed over a teacher’s quarters to the Kwabena Kuma DA Basic School. These laudable interventions are being funded by their Fairtrade premium which has proven to be an effective socio-economic development tool.
In Cote d’Ivoire, selected pupils of the communities where the event took place, who had excelled in their academic work were given prizes, to serve as a motivation to them, their parents and the entire community to invest in education of the children.
In his speech, the Regional Lead for Social Protection and Advocacy for West Africa at Fairtrade, Solomon McBanasam highlighted Fairtrade’s commitment to working with stakeholders to address the complex issue of child labour. There was also a radio sensitisation at Success FM in Goaso, as part of the community outreach.
At Fairtrade, we believe that every child deserves a right to wholistic formation, education and a safe environment to enable them develop their fullest potential.
The current pandemic, with the early lock down and temporary closure of schools, led to an increase in incidences of child labour across the West Africa region. Through joint stakeholder efforts and interventions, Fairtrade continues to create awareness about the issue.