Ghana: Protection from child trafficking, early and forced marriage

Several publications in English and in local languages have been edited to help spread awareness and knowledge on children's rights in Ghana. First, traditional proverbs and sayings have been collected. Second, a manual on the legal framework regarding birth registration, early and forced mariage as well as child trafficking was issued in collaboraion between PAORP-VWC and KiRA. You can download the documents here:

In Northern Ghana, 90% of the population live in rural areas. Due to poverty, low school education and little knowledge about the risks to children, harmful practices such as child trafficking (currently the world's third largest criminal activity) and early marriage are very common. Every forth girl in the Northern Region in Ghana is married before the age of 18. This goes along with sexual exploitation, child pregnancy as well as a high rate of school drop-outs among girls. Despite national laws that outlaw early and forced marriage, families continue to marry their girls at a young age without taking their age or consent into account. Thousands of girls are thus deprived of educational and professional opportunities. In addition they often obtain physical and emotional long-term consequences from early child bearing.

Overall aim: Contribute to end harmful traditional practices, especially child, early, and forced marriage (CEFM), and child trafficking in the Northern Region of Ghana.

• Awareness of child rights has increased in the project area and State and civil society representatives responsible for child protection actively contribute to protect children more effectively from harmful traditional practices such as CEFM, and child trafficking.

• Trained media representatives are aware of their role in protecting children and know how they can help educate the public about child rights and child rights violations.

• Children in the project area are aware that there are laws for their protection. They know their rights and duties and what they can do to safeguard their rights. and protect themselves.

Direct beneficiaries:

• 15.000 Children in the 4 project districts
• 4.000 Parents

As intermediates:

• the local population in the project area
• 300 State and civil society representatives responsible for child protection
• 35 Media representatives
• 195 Adult leaders and 40 volunteers
• 120 representatives of school management committees, presidents of parent teacher associations and head teachers

• Establish and operate a local community radio. With the help of radio broadcasts, the local population is sensitized to children's rights

• Social drama, cultural songs and dance competitions as well as community durbars and debates to raise awareness

• Workshops and seminars in which leaders and representatives learn to identify harmful practices and find solutions to protect children

• Sensitization of children in After School Learning and Play Centres, where they learn about their rights

• Collection of traditional African proverbs and sayings that underline the cultural heritage that protects children’s rights

• Develop and publish a handbook on child protection laws translated into three local languages.

Total project costs: € 651,200 

Financial partners:

• German ministry for economic development and cooperation (BMZ)
• Hungermarsch Schwetzingen
• Stiftung Oliver-Herbrich-Kinderfonds
• Globus-Stiftung
• PAORP-VWC
• Kinderrechte Afrika e. V. (donations)

Cover picture: Girls march for their right to protection from early and forced marriage. © PAORP-VWC