The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has revealed that more than 458,000 children engaged in economic activities in Ghana are currently out of school due to child labour, describing the situation as a major threat to children’s rights and development.
The disclosure was made as Ghana joined the international community to commemorate the 2026 World Day Against Child Labour under the theme, “Red Card to Child Labour: Fair Play for Children, Decent Work for Adults”.
According to CHRAJ, recent data from the Ghana Statistical Service show that more than 1.1 million children between the ages of five and 17 were engaged in economic activity in 2023.
Out of that number, over 458,000 were not attending school, highlighting the devastating impact of child labour on access to education.
The Commission warned that child labour continues to deprive many children of their rights to education, protection and a safe childhood, while exposing them to exploitation and hazardous working conditions.
“The statistics on child labour are not merely indicators of a social problem; they represent children whose rights to education, protection, and development are being undermined,” CHRAJ stated.
CHRAJ noted that child labour remains one of the most pressing human rights challenges facing the country and called on government institutions, employers, communities, families and civil society organisations to intensify efforts to address the root causes of the problem.
The Commission stressed that every child deserves a safe environment in which to learn, grow and realise their full potential, urging stakeholders to translate commitments into concrete actions to eliminate child labour and guarantee access to quality education for all children.
