Modern Slavery Still Exist Modern slavery
Modern slavery, also known as contemporary slavery continues to exist in our present day. Modern slavery is any situation in which individuals are suppressed and forced to undertake activities due to some form of threat, violence, coercion or abuse.
“Ghana is a source, transit, and destination country for children and women trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation. Trafficking within the country is more prevalent than transnational trafficking and the majority of victims are children. Both boys and girls are trafficked within Ghana for forced labor in agriculture and the fishing industry, for street hawking, forced begging by religious instructors, as porters, and possibly for forced kente weaving. Over 30,000 children are believed to be working as porters, or Kayaye, in Accra alone. Annually, the International Organisation on Migration reports numerous deaths of boys trafficked for hazardous forced labor in the Lake Volta fishing industry. Girls are trafficked within the country for domestic servitude and sexual exploitation. To a lesser extent, boys are also trafficked internally for sexual exploitation, primarily for sex tourism,” U.S. State Dept Trafficking in Persons Report, June, 2009.
According to the administrator for the African Women Lawyers Association (AWLA), Madam Edna Kuma, modern slavery in Ghana is a very prominent form of abuse in the home. Children as young as 3 years are forced to go fishing with their fathers; this is very dangerous as some end up drowning. Women suffering domestic abuse are also being held against their will due to fear. Again children of all ages are trafficked from one part of the country to another and sometimes even outside the country in search of greener pastures. Most parents will give the excuse of financial resourcing and dept. In most situations, mothers are abandoned by the father of their children to take care of the children. This pushes them to send their children away in search of financial aid sometimes even through begging.
According to AWLA, in Ghana there is serious lack of awareness on the various avenues people can use to get help. Some women experiencing violence still do not have the strength to rise against their oppressors and get help from the various NGOs and civil society groups. The group noted that the Ghanaian cultural setting has also not been of help to women and children who mostly suffer modern slavery.
This is so because the prominence given to men makes some women scared to fight back against a male oppressor who abuses or defiles them. The lack of proper and adequate parental care causes some children to flee their home therefore having to fend for themselves. With the recent rampant acts of homosexuality and pedophilia, many male children have been victims to these disgraceful acts. Male children are also mostly forced to work among the fisher folk. Girls are raped and defiled on a daily basis as well. There have been several laws passed to help deal with some of these cases such as the anti-trafficking act among others. There are also several NGOs who work at the grassroots to help people in need. Also the ministry for gender, children and social protection has been working towards combating modern slavery.
Madam Kuma also stated that her organization had also been organizing training programs to help create awareness. She stated that they did radio and television programs from time to time to educate the general public on modern slavery. She finally stated that with more work, more people awareness and more access to justice, the people of Ghana will see an end to modern slavery.
Story by: Adwoa Yankson
“Ghana is a source, transit, and destination country for children and women trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation. Trafficking within the country is more prevalent than transnational trafficking and the majority of victims are children. Both boys and girls are trafficked within Ghana for forced labor in agriculture and the fishing industry, for street hawking, forced begging by religious instructors, as porters, and possibly for forced kente weaving. Over 30,000 children are believed to be working as porters, or Kayaye, in Accra alone. Annually, the International Organisation on Migration reports numerous deaths of boys trafficked for hazardous forced labor in the Lake Volta fishing industry. Girls are trafficked within the country for domestic servitude and sexual exploitation. To a lesser extent, boys are also trafficked internally for sexual exploitation, primarily for sex tourism,” U.S. State Dept Trafficking in Persons Report, June, 2009.
According to the administrator for the African Women Lawyers Association (AWLA), Madam Edna Kuma, modern slavery in Ghana is a very prominent form of abuse in the home. Children as young as 3 years are forced to go fishing with their fathers; this is very dangerous as some end up drowning. Women suffering domestic abuse are also being held against their will due to fear. Again children of all ages are trafficked from one part of the country to another and sometimes even outside the country in search of greener pastures. Most parents will give the excuse of financial resourcing and dept. In most situations, mothers are abandoned by the father of their children to take care of the children. This pushes them to send their children away in search of financial aid sometimes even through begging.
According to AWLA, in Ghana there is serious lack of awareness on the various avenues people can use to get help. Some women experiencing violence still do not have the strength to rise against their oppressors and get help from the various NGOs and civil society groups. The group noted that the Ghanaian cultural setting has also not been of help to women and children who mostly suffer modern slavery.
This is so because the prominence given to men makes some women scared to fight back against a male oppressor who abuses or defiles them. The lack of proper and adequate parental care causes some children to flee their home therefore having to fend for themselves. With the recent rampant acts of homosexuality and pedophilia, many male children have been victims to these disgraceful acts. Male children are also mostly forced to work among the fisher folk. Girls are raped and defiled on a daily basis as well. There have been several laws passed to help deal with some of these cases such as the anti-trafficking act among others. There are also several NGOs who work at the grassroots to help people in need. Also the ministry for gender, children and social protection has been working towards combating modern slavery.
Madam Kuma also stated that her organization had also been organizing training programs to help create awareness. She stated that they did radio and television programs from time to time to educate the general public on modern slavery. She finally stated that with more work, more people awareness and more access to justice, the people of Ghana will see an end to modern slavery.
Story by: Adwoa Yankson
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