Child rights organization Challenging Heights is calling on the Ghanaian government and international partners to intensify efforts in the fight against human trafficking and modern slavery.
The group says the country’s current laws are outdated and require urgent review to reflect the evolving nature of exploitation.
This comes after the rescue of 82 children from various trafficking and slavery situations across the country since the beginning of 2025.
The operations were conducted with the support of the Ghana Police Service’s Human Trafficking Unit.
According to the President of Challenging Heights, James Kofi Annan, there is an urgent need to amend Ghana’s Human Trafficking Act to better define and respond to emerging forms of exploitation, especially those involving technology.
“There are so many aspects of the law that need to be amended,” he said. “Exploitation today does not require physical labor alone. Children involved in cybercrime, for example, are still being exploited. The law must evolve to recognize these forms of abuse.”
Of the 82 children rescued this year: 31 boys and 26 girls were freed from child labor within the fishing industry, particularly along Lake Volta, 25 girls were rescued from commercial sexual exploitation, with their recovery directly led by the Human Trafficking Unit of the Ghana Police Service.
Some of the rescued victims are currently undergoing repatriation processes, including cases involving cross-border trafficking with Nigeria.
The organization stressed that Ghana continues to face significant challenges in combating modern slavery.
Global estimates suggest that over 49 million people are trapped in various forms of slavery, with about 91,000 believed to be in Ghana alone. Of these, an estimated 21,000 children are victims of forced labor on water bodies such as Lake Volta.
“These numbers show that human trafficking is still a major national crisis,” Challenging Heights warned. “Without stronger laws and more government commitment, many more children remain at risk.”
The organization is advocating for increased funding for anti-trafficking operations, victim rehabilitation, and public education campaigns, as well as the formation of a multi-sectoral response team to tackle the menace more aggressively.
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