Over 458,000 Working Children in Ghana Are Out of School — CHRAJ

The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has raised concerns over the growing impact of child labour on education in Ghana, revealing that more than 458,000 children engaged in economic activities are not attending school.

In a statement issued to mark the 2026 World Day Against Child Labour, CHRAJ described child labour as a major threat to children’s rights and development, warning that thousands of children continue to be denied access to education because of exploitative work.

“The fulfilment of children’s rights is among the most fundamental measures of a society’s commitment to human dignity and social justice,” the Commission stated.

CHRAJ noted that child labour remains a significant barrier to education, protection, and personal development despite Ghana’s constitutional guarantees and international commitments aimed at eliminating the practice.

According to the Commission, data from the Ghana Statistical Service indicates that more than 1.1 million children aged between 5 and 17 years were engaged in economic activity in 2023.

Of that number, over 458,000 children were not enrolled in school.

“Alarmingly, over 458,000 of these children were not attending school,” the Commission said, adding that many children continue to miss out on opportunities that could help break the cycle of poverty.

CHRAJ stressed that the persistence of child labour undermines children’s right to education and exposes them to exploitation and hazardous working conditions.

The Commission noted that Ghana has enacted several legal measures to protect children, including provisions under the 1992 Constitution, the Children’s Act, 1998 (Act 560), and international instruments such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.

However, it said the scale of the problem remains worrying.

Globally, CHRAJ noted that an estimated 138 million children are engaged in child labour, with nearly 54 million involved in hazardous work.

Marking this year’s observance under the theme, “Red Card to Child Labour: Fair Play for Children, Decent Work for Adults,” the Commission called for renewed national efforts to tackle the root causes of child labour and ensure that every child has access to quality education.

CHRAJ further urged government institutions, employers, communities, parents, and civil society organisations to work together to eliminate child labour and protect the rights of children.

The Commission warned that failure to address the problem could deepen social inequalities and undermine Ghana’s long-term development goals.