ILO -FAO Regional Workshop on Anti-Child Labour ends

Anti-Child Labour Activists from about twenty countries across the globe have concluded a week long dialogue in Accra on how to curb child labour. 

They agreed that eliminating child labour in rural areas requires a comprehensive and gender sensitive approach. 

Under the auspices of the International Labour Organisation, ILO and Food and Agriculture Organization, [FAO], the workshop provided the rural workers and small scale producers the opportunity to exchange ideas on how they are organising to combat child labour in their sectors. 

A high point light of the meeting was a visit by the Anti-Child Labour Activists to Kpando-Torkor in the Volta Region. 

GBC’s Rebecca Ekpe reports that known for its economic opportunities, the Volta Lake at Kpando, Torkor is prone to child labour activities. 

However, over the years with support from development partners, the General Agriculture Workers Union, GAWU has put in place measures to curb the menace. 

GAWU's Vice President, Andrews Tagoe says a mechanism dubbed ''the Torkor Model'', which employs a community based approach in fighting child labour, has worked well. 

The Anti-Child Labour Activists from about twenty countries across the world therefore descended on Kpando Torkor to learn from the Torkor Model and possibly replicate it in their countries. 

The team was hosted to a grand durbar with cultural performances by pupils of the  Kpando Torkor Evangelical Presbyterian MA Basic School.

The Chief Executive of the Kpando Municipal Assembly, Elvis Gyampo addressed the gathering and encouraged them to bring in more investments to Kpando. 

The team also took time off to interact with the women in the community. Head of the Social Dialogue and Partnerships, ILO-International Program on Elimination of Child Labour based in Geneva, Switzerland, Simon Steyne christened Togbe Kojo Simon, ''Torkor Fia'', meaning the Chief of Torkor, for his contribution to fighting Child Labour said he is impressed with the work done. 

The workshop was jointly organised and funded by the ILO and FAO under the auspices of the International Partnership For Cooperation on Child Labour in Agriculture and hosted by the Ghana Agriculture Workers Union of TUC, Ghana. 

The Anti-Child Activists are hoping to present a louder and collective voice from Africa on the need to tackle child labour more aggressively at the upcoming Global Conference on Sustained Eradication of Child Labour in Buenos Aires, Argentina, South America.

Story by Rebecca Ekpe.
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