Officials from child rights partner institutions in the Central Region are urging parents to strike a balance between children’s responsibilities and their rights.
Speaking in an interview on ATL FM on August 27, 2025, representatives from the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) and the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection discussed key issues, including child marriage, labour, trafficking, and prostitution.
Mr. Joseph Abban, Metro Director of NCCE, acknowledged the importance of children contributing at home.
“Every child has to perform some tasks at home to support their parents or guardians—whether sweeping or helping in the kitchen. Rights go with responsibilities,” he said.
However, he cautioned parents against overburdening children.
“While children have duties, parents and the state must ensure these do not exceed their strength or compromise their health, education, or psychological well-being,” he added.
NCCE officer Jude Eghan clarified the distinction between household chores and child labour.
“Children between 13 and 15 years are legally allowed to do light work, such as simple errands, sweeping, or helping in the kitchen. But anything beyond this falls into child labour,” he explained.
Miss Dorothy Arthur from the Children’s Department of the Ministry of Gender emphasized the need to protect children’s freedom, particularly their right to socialize.
“Children deprived of socialization often struggle with teamwork and productivity later in life. Parents should supervise, not restrict, their interaction with the environment,” she noted.
Arthur also distinguished between child labour and forced labour.
“Child labour involves persons below 18 years, while forced labour can affect people of all ages,” she explained.
Officials cited research showing that child labour is most prevalent in agriculture (63.5%), followed by services (25%) and industry (10%). They attributed this mainly to poverty and parental neglect but said awareness campaigns in schools are helping to address the problem.
