A new report by Child Rights International (CRI) has identified defilement as the most prevalent offence against children in Ghana, accounting for 59.4 per cent of all reported cases.

Presenting the findings at a media briefing on April 30, 2026, the Executive Director, Bright Appiah, said defilement cases in the country significantly outweighs all others forms of abuse against children, raising concerns about child safety.

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“We have identified about 23 different offences that are commonly committed against children. Within these offences, defilement is about 59.4% of all offences being committed against children in Ghana, and then assault is 18.9% and then indecent assault is 7.68%", he noted.

According to the report, at least 286 child protection cases are currently before the courts, with some remaining unresolved for as long as two to ten years.

Bright Appiah warned that such delays “not only deepen harm to victims but also undermine public confidence in the country’s child protection system.”

The report further estimates that pursuing a child protection case can cost between GH¢1,050 and GH¢2,540 annually for vulnerable households.

These costs include transportation, medical examinations, and loss of income.

In light of these findings, CRI stressed the need for the introduction of mandatory timelines for handling child protection cases and the establishment of specialised courts.

It also proposed “the development of a national digital case tracking system to improve transparency, accountability, and the effective monitoring of cases.”

CRI further noted that it will submit the report to the Office of the Chief Justice and the Attorney General to push for policy changes.

JKB/VPO

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