Ghana: Report reveals workers' rights violated

February 8, 2008
Issue 

This is an abridged report issued on January 28 by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), representing 168 million workers in 155 countries. For more information, please visit .

The ITUC has released a new report on labour standards in Ghana, which stated that the national legislation in force is in breach of the International Labour Organization core labour conventions that the country has ratified and are legally binding.

The report shows that many workers are excluded from the right to organise and join a freely-chosen trade union. The right to strike is limited and restricted in practice. The ILO has urged the government of Ghana to amend its legislation to comply with the international labour standards that the country has ratified.

The most recent ILO survey found a total of 1.27 million child workers in Ghana. The ITUC report calls for further government initiatives to enforce the laws against child labour adequately.

The legislation against trafficking of people is enforced poorly and children and women, in particular, are exposed to forced labour practices. Despite the fact that the national legislation in force bans discrimination, the practice is common in Ghana. There is no law against sexual harassment at the workplace.

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