Development of the First Certification Report
The release of the first certification report from the Government of Ghana represents the collaborative efforts of many different organizations and individuals
Involvement of the West African governments – in this case, the Government of Ghana – was critical. These governments are responsible for passing and enforcing laws to address child labor issues and for other important services, such as access to education.
In Ghana, the Ministry of Manpower is working closely with industry representatives to develop a certification program for the country. Other branches of the government are involved as well, reflecting a broad, ongoing commitment on the part of the Government of Ghana.
The University of Ghana was tapped to help develop and field the data collection survey. This was a significant challenge involving the creation of a questionnaire that would yield meaningful information on labor conditions. Conducting the survey was an even greater challenge, involving trained surveyors from the University who traveled deep into Ghana’s cocoa farming belt to collect information.
In addition, industry and government representatives worked with a number of experts in such important areas as child labor, agriculture, and West African migration to ensure that the certification program will effectively address these and other critical issues.
These and other stakeholders will continue to work on certification in the months and years ahead, learning from efforts to date while continually refining the process.