Child domestic Labour in (Accra) Ghana: A child and gender rights issue?

Abstract

Child domestic labour is one of the widespread and exploitative forms of child labour in the world today. However, the ubiquity of child/adolescent (domestic) labour, together with the perception that such work-especially in relation to girls is important training for later life, normalises such work and renders it invisible. Child domestic labour is thus, largely feminised as almost 90 percent of the children are girls. Many domestics work for long hours with no rest or remuneration, and are subjected to verbal, physical and in some instances sexual abuse in the households of their employers. The conditions under which many child domestics live and work, undermines and threatens many basic rights of children. is paper highlights the child and gender-based rights that are actually or potentially denied child domestic workers in order to influence policy development and implementation, as well as advocacy for and on behalf of children. © 2011 Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden.