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BY CHALLENGING HEIGHTS / APRIL 10, 2017 Challenging Heights, in partnership with Abolish Slavery Now, an Abolitionist organization based out of Ventura, California, rescued 17 more trafficked children from the Lake Volta. The 4 girls and 13 boys, ages 4 to 17 years-old, tops off the total 1,600 children the organization has rescued since inception. The rescue was accomplished in partnership with Abolish Slavery Now, an abolitionist organization based out of Ventura, California. Many of the 17 recently-rescued children had worked for nearly twelve years in servitude under incredibly deplorable conditions.

In an interview with the media, the President of Challenging Heights, James Kofi Annan, called for urgent government action to address the situation. He praised the Ministry of Gender for working towards the establishment of the Human Trafficking National Action Plan, but expressed disappointment that the government is failing to resource the various institutions such as the Ghana Police Service, and the Human Trafficking Secretariat, both of which are key if the country is to see an end to the problem.

Child trafficking in the fishing industry has been a problem for the Ghanaian government for several decades. It is estimated that there are over 21,000 working children on Lake Volta alone, and there are several thousands more going through various forms of abuse.

Last year the American government gave a warning to the Government of Ghana that if steps are not taken to address this issue of child trafficking, Ghana risk losing a lot of the aid money that comes from the American people.

Challenging Heights works in several communities across Ghana, to rescue, rehabilitate and reintegrate children who have been affected by worst forms of child labor, including trafficking. The organization recently launched its aggressive 5-year strategic plan to end child trafficking in this industry by 2022.

Akua Boatemaa Dua
(Advocacy Officer)
0204 020392
0244 515761