Goaso (B/A), Dec. 22, GNA - A two-day capacity workshop for 80 community child protection committees has been held at Goaso in Asunafo North Municipality.

It was jointly organised by RUDEA, a Goaso-based non-governmental organization and the Department of Social Welfare. The committees were drawn from 20 communities in Asunafo North Municipality and Asunafo South District and were trained in policies and legislation on child labour and trafficking and measures to be implemented to curb the menace in cocoa growing areas.

Mr. Prince Forfoe, Asunafo North Municipal Director of the Department of Social Welfare, said the worst forms of child labour included slavery, compulsory labour, bondage, prostitution and pornography. Mr. Stanley Manu, Assistant Programmes Officer of RUDEA, said child rights clubs had been formed in about 20 communities in the cocoa growing district in the Ahafo area.

He said a national programme for the elimination of worst forms of child labour in cocoa reported in a 2007/2008 scale-up cocoa survey cocoa season that about 46 per cent of children had participated in at least one hazardous cocoa activity during the previous cocoa farming season. "A young child needs to be nurtured to develop physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally and intellectually", he said. Mr. Manu called for the enforcement of existing laws to help reduce all forms of child abuse and social practices detrimental to the well-being of children. 22 Dec 09