2.24.1 Child Prostitution
Whilst the country does not have a specific law on child prostitution, some aspects of the
Children’s Act, 560 prohibit children from engaging in prostitution/sex work.
Stakeholders bemoan the lack of rehabilitation mechanism for child prostitutes rescued
from the streets.
2.24.2 Defilement
The Children’s Act, 1998 prohibits defilement, incest, and sexual abuse of minors but
such abuses are reported on a regular basis. During the year, the police reported 1,800
cases of defilement.
There were also reported cases of family members and teachers raping or having carnal
knowledge of girls.
2.24.3 Child Labour
According to the Department of Social Welfare, in 2011 there was an estimated 54,000
street children in Accra alone. The department’s rehabilitation programme is seriously
underfunded.
The efforts to address the problem of child labour in cocoa farms recorded some
successes. The programme has removed some 12,000 children from cocoa farms and
enrolled them in schools.
2.24.4 Juvenile Justice
Even though a Juvenile Justice Act, 2003 had been passed, institutional and
administrative arrangements that would make for enforcement are still largely lacking.
Juveniles are routinely remanded in prisons with adults especially in districts where there
are no juvenile remand facilities.
Sixth Annual APRM Progress Report: January – December 2011
38