30. The Committee therefore recommends that the State Party:
As a matter of urgency, assess the impact of the requirement in the 2006
Act with the view to ensuring that facilities yet to be compliant for the
needs of people with disabilities are made adaptable;
Assess funding allocated to the inclusive education program to ensure
that the issues hindering children with disabilities from enjoying inclusive
education are addressed;
Increase funding allocated to persons with disabilities by the District
Assembly Common Fund and made it accessible to promote the welfare
of persons with disabilities; and
Assessing the funding for the National Council on Persons with
Disabilities with the view to increasing it to enable the Council effectively
address the needs of persons with disabilities particularly those of
children.
Child Labour
31. It is indicated that the State Party has laws prohibiting children’s engagement in
exploitative and hazardous labour. However the Committee is concerned that
financial difficulties in homes have propelled many children to engage in various
forms of labour during school hours and late at night. It was brought to the
Committee’s attention that recent figures show that 1.9m children in Ghana are in
child labour. The Committee is further concerned of a surge in child commercial
sex along the costal Ghana. The Committee, therefore, recommends that:
The Government, in partnership with Civil Society organisations, should
launch a comprehensive programme of rescue, rehabilitation and
reintegration of existing children who are involved in child labour;
The Government to focus on investment in prevention activities in
communities that have traditionally been the source for child labour so
that the practice becomes culturally unacceptable and economically
unnecessary in modern Ghana; and
The State Party urgently address the issue of commercial sex along its
coastal areas.
Administration of Juvenile Justice
32. The Committee notes with satisfaction the enactment of the Juvenile Justice Act
2003 which provides the legal framework for juvenile justice in Ghana.
Notwithstanding, the Committee is notes that cases of children in conflict with the
law are dealt through ordinary courts and they are also detained with adults; the
Committee is also informed that cases at the juvenile Courts suffer from unduly
delays and the absence of an effective legal aid system means that juveniles
from poor and vulnerable families who cannot afford to engage the services of a
lawyer go on trial unrepresented. The Committee further notes that despite
efforts, there exists only two operational correctional facilities in its territory which
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