The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (MOFAD) and the U.S. Government through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), held a signing ceremony for the fisheries sector’s new Anti-Child Labor and Trafficking Strategy.

The strategy outlines the Ministry’s plans to reduce and eventually eliminate child labor and trafficking in the fisheries sector.

The USAID Sustainable Fisheries Management Project collaborated with MOFAD to develop a national strategy to help eradicate child labour and trafficking in Ghanaian fishing communities.

Coordinated through the MOFAD Marine Fisheries Division, the consultative process also included participation and support from Ghana’s Ministry of Gender, Child, and Social Protection.

Approved by MOFAD Minister Elizabeth Naa Afoley Quaye on July 13, 2018, the signing event marks the public unveiling of the new strategy.

During the ceremony, Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Ghana Mr. Christopher J. Lamora noted the importance of the signing ceremony, stating that the newly adopted strategy “bolsters the Government of Ghana’s commitment to fight child labor and trafficking, and highlights our cooperation to eliminate all forms of child labor and human trafficking.”

Employing children in a manner that deprives them of their childhood, and is harmful to their physical and mental development, is referred to as child labor.

Over the past two years, the Government of Ghana has increased efforts to address child labor and trafficking. In recognition of these efforts, the Department of State upgraded Ghana’s classification to Tier 2 in the 2018 State Department’s Trafficking in Person report, paving the way for further cooperation and development assistance.