AN ASSESSMENT OF GHANA’S IMPLEMENTATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD IN ADDRESSING THE PHENOMENON OF CHILD TRAFFICKING

ABSTRACT

Cognizant of the fact that children are vulnerable and need protection, the United Nations Convention on Rights of the Child was enacted in 1989 to safeguard the welfare of children. This development spurred the child rights agenda in most countries across the globe, and Ghana was no exception. Indeed, Ghana set the pace by being the first country to ratify the Convention. Thereafter, the 1992 Constitution and the 1998 Children’s Act were promulgated, and these became the linchpins for the promotion of the well-being of children in Ghana. Almost three decades after this landmark Convention and its domestication, the research, using primary as well as secondary sources, makes an assessment of its implementation, particularly in the area of child trafficking. The study relies on data obtained qualitatively through purposive sampling of expert opinions, using semi-structured interviews. The county has come under international scrutiny in recent years due to the prevalence of the threat in Ghana. For this reason, the study focuses its lenses on Article 35 of the Convention as it pertains to child trafficking. It throws light on the fact that despite the adoption of the Convention, and the efforts made so far in its implementation, a lacuna exists between what is prescribed on paper and what is practiced. An examination is made of the policy, legal and institutional structures put in place to guarantee the realization of the UNCRC in Ghana. Cultural abuses, lack of awareness and strong institutions to serve as a deterrent, poverty, are among the factors that exacerbate the trafficking of children in Ghana. These children are trafficked into labour in key sectors of the economy such as mining and agriculture, and sometimes for sex. Despite the progress made in building partnerships, major challenges persist in other areas of the fight against trafficking such as prosecution of offenders and the protection of victims. It therefore behoves on Ghana, as the main stakeholder to put in place appropriate measures that will fulfill the stipulations of Article 35. The study therefore makes recommendations in this regard, in order that, the incidence of child trafficking will not only be significantly reduced in the short run, but ultimately eliminated in the long run.