On 12 September 2025, with the support of CCIG and Dreikönigsaktion – Hilfswerk der Katholischen Jungschar (DKA Austria), Mr. John Kanyiti Tomah, representative of Care for Deprived Communities, a local NGO based in Ghana, took the floor through video message during the 60th session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) to denounce violations of children’s rights in the country. 

This oral statement was part of the wider Human Rights Capacity-Building Project, implemented by CCIG and DKA Austria from November 2024 to October 2025, to empower children’s rights defenders from Ghana and Kenya. The project aimed to enable local and international civil society actors to gain a better understanding of and make use of the UN human rights mechanisms, such as the HRC to advocate for their communities’ rights.  

Delivered under item 3 – Interactive Dialogue (ID) with the Special Rapporteur (SR) on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences, focusing on his Report “Worst forms of child labour: assessing progress and persisting challenges”, the oral statement specifically addressed the involvement of children in hazardous forms of work related to mining, highlighting how Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining Activities (ASSMA) currently recruits thousands of child workers in Ghana. It was emphasized that this situation results in multiple human rights violations, as it exposes children to serious health risks, involves long hours of hard labor, and denies them access to basic education. 

To confront this concerning situation, it was recommended that Member States allocate resources to legislate and enforce policies aimed at eradicating child exploitation in mining. In addition, they called for securing access to universal, quality and free education for children, and for supporting Ghanaian youth through capacity-building programs focused on vocational and employable skills. 

In line with this, the Special Rapporteur reaffirmed the firm commitment to eradicate child exploitation, and encouraged States to strengthen laws, policies, and enforcement mechanisms to support this commitment by ensuring access to education, protecting victims through rehabilitation and justice access, and addressing root causes such as poverty and lack of decent work. 

This opportunity showcases the importance of collaboration with local civil society actors to ensure that grassroots perspectives are represented within the United Nations system and contribute to advancing global efforts to address human rights violations. 

To watch the ID with the Special Rapporteur on slavery at the 60th HRC session, please click here.

The text and video of the oral statement are also available on CCIG website.