Child Participation in the Elimination of Child Labour in Cocoa Production in Suhum Municipality, Eastern Region

Abstract

The rights and protection of children have become the central focus of sustainable human development. However, children are usually left out in all decisions that are meant to promote their well-being. One such discussion is the issues of child labour. The main aim of the study was to examine how children could participate in the various processes of eliminating child labour in cocoa growing areas. A mixed method approach was used. This included a survey, focus group discussions and in-depth interviews to gather data in five selected cocoa growing communities in the Suhum Municipal Assembly. The study revealed that the level of awareness of the concept of child labour among respondents in the Suhum Municipality was appreciably high. Majority of the adult respondents said they were aware of interventions running in the Suhum municipality to help eliminate child labour. Respondents interviewed were generally aware of what constitutes child labour with most attributing its perpetuation to poverty. Majority of Children engaged in child labour however do so without any compulsion which reechoes the fact that poverty is a key driver of child labour in cocoa farming. This information gives the indication that, the underlying factors for most of these children to willingly opt to work on the farms rather than going to school is the due to financial challenges. The results further showed that most of the respondents are aware of child labour and its negative effects on the child‟s development. The respondents also considered child participation as an effective approach in eliminating child labour. It also identified institutional structures such as the Social Welfare and NGOs that exist in the District and how they work to improve child participation in child labour elimination. It was therefore suggested that children should be involved in decisions and processes outline to eliminate child labour.