GoldBod, UNICEF, and others join forces to combat child labour in Ghana’s mining sector

The Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and other key stakeholders, has launched a joint initiative to strengthen efforts against child labour in Ghana’s artisanal and small-scale mining sector.

The partnership aims to equip GoldBod’s Corporate Social Responsibility and Community Relations team with the knowledge, tools, and practical frameworks to address child labour, uphold child rights, and embed responsible business conduct across its operations.

The two-day workshop held in Aburi in the Eastern Region strengthened participants’ understanding of child rights, child labour, and responsible business obligations in Ghana’s mining sector. The training also supports GoldBod as a rights-respecting and responsible public sector actor in Ghana’s gold value chain while developing concrete action points for improved child labour and child rights interventions across GoldBod’s operational areas.

In her opening remarks, a Principal Officer with the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Unit of the Ghana Gold Board, Ruth Holdbrook-Smith, noted that the collaboration will help participants gain practical knowledge of child labour and effective approaches to raising awareness.

She expressed optimism that the knowledge gained from the training will help participants identify child labour issues in the field and develop appropriate strategies to address them.

The Director of Human Resource at the Ghana Gold Board, Douglas Acquah-Hagan, thanked UNICEF and its partners for organising the training and encouraged participants to apply the lessons learned to help tackle child labour challenges within Ghana’s mining sector.

The workshop featured a series of interactive sessions covering GoldBod’s efforts to promote child rights across its operations, child rights and child protection in Ghana, the importance of addressing child labour, child rights due diligence, and UNICEF Ghana’s initiatives to combat child labour, among other topics.

A Child Protection Specialist with UNICEF, Young Joo Lee, took participants through emerging global regulatory trends, an introduction to child labour public-private partnerships in Ghana, and updates on new research examining the impact of illegal mining on children’s well-being.

Speaking at the workshop, the Head of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) at the Ghana Gold Board, Dr. Thomas Agyei, stated that the Board requires licensed buyers and service providers to meet strict Environmental, Social, and Governance standards.

According to him, GoldBod’s ESG framework protects workers and the environment through enhanced traceability, respect for human rights, and strong anti-corruption measures.