The Government of Ghana has launched a new digital system to combat child labour, known as the Ghana Child Labour Monitoring System (GCLMS). This system aims to enhance the identification, documentation, referral, and follow-up of child labour cases. Developed with funding from the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and other development partners, the GCLMS will support monitoring in sectors such as agriculture, artisanal and small-scale mining, domestic work, and other areas of the informal economy.
The GCLMS has been designed to be interoperable with other child protection systems in Ghana, facilitating seamless case referrals, remediation, and improved coordination among relevant institutions. Between September 15 and 18, 2026, the ILO, in partnership with the Child Labour Unit of the Ministry of Labour, Jobs and Employment, trained selected regional and district stakeholders on the use of the GCLMS. This training equipped officials with the knowledge and practical skills required to use the system effectively in identifying, monitoring, referring, and managing child labour cases.
The training, which took place in Bibiani, was addressed by Mr Bismark Quartey, the National Project Coordinator of the ILO’s ACCEL Africa Project in Ghana. He emphasized the importance of reliable data in the fight against child labour, noting that the new GCLMS provides stakeholders with a common platform to document cases, understand their characteristics and underlying causes, initiate appropriate interventions, and follow up on children and families receiving support.
During the training, participants undertook practical exercises on registering and documenting cases, updating case information, managing data, generating reports, and monitoring follow-up actions. Mr Frederick Osei Agyemang, an Officer at the Social Welfare Department at Bibiani, reported that the training had improved his understanding of the system and its application at the district level. He noted that the training would help them improve the quality of information collected and ensure that identified cases receive appropriate support.
The rollout of the GCLMS marks an additional step in Ghana’s efforts to strengthen national systems for preventing and eliminating child labour and protecting children from work that threatens their safety, development, and future. By strengthening data collection and coordination at the regional and district levels, the system is expected to support timely and evidence-based decision-making. It will also enable stakeholders to track the progress of interventions provided to affected children and their families.
The GCLMS is expected to support monitoring in various sectors where children could be exposed to hazardous or exploitative working conditions. The system will help government institutions and other stakeholders to identify and document child labour cases more effectively. This is part of Ghana’s efforts to prevent and eliminate child labour, in line with international labour standards and conventions.
The implementation of the GCLMS is a collaborative effort between the Government of Ghana, the ILO, and other development partners. The system is expected to improve the coordination and response to child labour cases, ultimately contributing to the reduction of child labour in Ghana.
Key points
- The new Ghana Child Labour Monitoring System will improve data collection and coordination to combat child labour.
- The system will support monitoring in sectors such as agriculture, artisanal and small-scale mining, and domestic work.
- The GCLMS is interoperable with other child protection systems in Ghana to facilitate seamless case referrals and remediation.
