The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has vowed to intensify efforts to end child labour in cocoa communities as the world marks the 2026 World Day Against Child Labour.
In a statement issued, COCOBOD said the year’s theme, “Red Card to Child Labour: Fair Play for Children, Decent Work for Adults,” was “a powerful call to action for governments, businesses, communities and families to intensify efforts to eliminate child labour while addressing its root causes.
”The regulator stressed that it “remains firmly committed to ensuring that cocoa production is undertaken in a manner that respects children’s rights, promotes their welfare and safeguards their future.”
It added: “Children are the foundation of every prosperous society, and their place is in school, learning, developing their talents, and preparing for productive adult lives, not in hazardous work that threatens their health, safety, education, and development.
”COCOBOD pointed to poverty and household vulnerability as “key drivers of child labour” and said its productivity enhancement programs, free input support and farmer welfare interventions are designed to “strengthen household incomes and resilience, thereby reducing the risk of child labour.”
With the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) set for full implementation in December 2026, the Board said it “remains committed to ensuring that Ghanaian cocoa continues to meet the highest standards of environmental sustainability, social responsibility, and human rights protection.”
“While progress has been made, we recognize that the fight against child labour is far from over,” the statement said.
It urged farmers and stakeholders to “reaffirm their commitment to protecting children, promoting education, and preventing children from engaging in hazardous work.”World Day Against Child Labour is observed annually on June 12 to renew global commitment to ending child exploitation.
