The Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations (MELR), the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the European Union (EU), have jointly launched the Trade for Decent Work (T4DW) Project in Accra.

The T4DW project is a multi-country initiative with a specific component implemented in Ghana. The project will contribute to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and mainly to SDG 8 “Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all”.

The promotion of decent jobs is of key importance for Ghana’s sustainable economic growth as stated in the national “Agenda for jobs: creating prosperity and equal opportunity for all”. In addition, the elimination of child labour is an important priority well confirmed in the “National Plan of Action on the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour”. The new Project implemented by the ILO and founded by the EU is fully aligned with Ghana’s priorities and in partnership with a large range of stakeholders – will contribute to Ghana’s development aspirations.

Specifically, the Trade for Decent Work (T4DW) Project will work closely with MELR to ensure that all relevant stakeholders are adequately prepared to protect and enforce labour rights. This implies – amongst others – a large range of activities to improve the application of the ILO fundamental conventions on decent work, to increase the capacities to implement child labour conventions in the cocoa sector and to foster a stronger nexus between decent work and trade.

“We are pleased to support Ghana in its designation as a “Pathfinder country”; meaning Ghana has committed to go further and faster to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Target 8.7. This translates to Ghana committing to end child labour, forced labour, modern slavery and human trafficking. Which is also buttressed by Ghana’s continued engagement in the ongoing Sustainable Cocoa Talks. We, the ILO, congratulate the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations, the Employers’ organizations and Workers’ organizations who are also committed as regards the elimination of child labour and its worst forms in Ghana.

“The EU is a big economic player and heavily involved in global value chains. We are the largest trading bloc. Our economy is connected to workers all over the world. We have a responsibility to make sure that we do not “import” exploitation and suffering via the products we use. This is why the EU is strongly committed to promoted decent job for all”, the EU Ambassador to Ghana, Diana Acconcia stated.

Background:
The T4DW project follows requests for assistance expressed by the Government, social partners and other interested parties. It is also based on the observations made by the ILO Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations (CEACR) at its November 2019 session and the lack of reporting on some ILO fundamental Conventions in Ghana. The project, which is funded by the European Union (EU) is part of a larger global project aimed at improving the application of the fundamental ILO Conventions in countries that are trade partners of the European Union.