Resource state institutions to end modern slavery - Challenging Heights urges government
A child rights-centred non-governmental organisation in Ghana, Challenging Heights, has urged the government to adequately resource state institutions towards the fight against child trafficking, child labour and modern slavery in the country.
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The Programmes Director of Challenging Heights, Enock Dery Pufaa, made the call during a brief event to present some items to the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) of the Ghana Police Service last Wednesday.
The donation, which was to support the operations of the unit, included three air conditioners, two refrigerators, three 32-inch television sets and one Yamaha motorbike.
Mr Pufaa said Ghana had made modest gains in the fight against child trafficking, child labour and modern slavery, based on the 2023 Global Slavery Index and Trafficking in Persons Report.
Resourcing
“However, these gains risk being lost in the face of national and global challenges, highlighting the need to adequately resource key state institutions such as the Ghana Police Service's Anti-Human Trafficking Unit, the Human Trafficking Secretariat of the Ministry for Gender, Children and Social Protection, the Department of Social Welfare and the Child Labour Unit,” he said.
Mr Pufaa further noted that ending modern slavery required a collective effort, hence the need for closer collaboration between state and non-state actors.
He commended the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit for the commitment and leadership, which together with Challenging Heights’ efforts, had contributed to the successful rescue of several victims of child trafficking and modern slavery from the Volta Lake.
Acknowledgement
For his part, the Head of the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit, Chief Superintendent Mike Baah, commended Challenging Heights for the items donated to the Unit.
He assured the organisation that the items would be put to good use for the benefit of the Unit.
Mr Baah further advised the public to report suspected cases of trafficking to the police and warned traffickers and their intermediaries to desist from the act or risk being jailed between five and 25 years as stipulated in the Human Trafficking Act (2009).
Challenging Heights
Challenging Heights works to prevent child trafficking, child labour, and modern slavery by rescuing, rehabilitating and reintegrating child victims, advocating for children’s rights and supporting families struggling with poverty.
The organisation has over the past 18 years, contributed to the successful rescue, recovery and reintegration of over 1,800 children and supported about 1000 families with livelihood interventions.