Ghana Must Prioritise Funding, Partnerships and Data to Fight Child Trafficking — IJM

International Justice Mission (IJM) has called on Ghana to embed three critical pillars into its child protection framework: sustainable public funding, multi-sector partnerships, and evidence-driven decision-making. The appeal came at Ghana's National Justice Conference in Accra on Tuesday, where Andy Griffiths, President of IJM's Africa and Europe Region, outlined a practical roadmap for combating human trafficking and child labour exploitation.

Griffiths stressed that justice institutions require consistent, predictable government investment rather than reliance on short-term projects or external aid cycles. "Reliable funding allows justice systems to function steadily and deliver lasting results," he explained, emphasising that Ghana's existing Human Trafficking Fund represents a strong institutional commitment but needs adequate resources to reach its full potential.

The second pillar is cross-sector collaboration. Griffiths highlighted that government agencies, civil society organisations, and survivor leaders must work together to address trafficking's complexity. "Isolated efforts fall short," he noted, urging stakeholders to break down silos and share expertise and resources.

Finally, data-driven action ensures interventions are targeted where they matter most. By grounding decisions in evidence, Ghana can allocate resources efficiently and measure progress reliably—an approach proven effective in countries with stronger justice systems.

The conference, themed "Sustainable Funding for Child Protection Against Labour Exploitation," brought together government officials, lawmakers, and civil society representatives. Griffiths stressed that IJM's role is to support Ghana's leaders in executing their own reforms, not to impose external solutions. "These are practical pathways, not abstract ideas," he said, calling on the conference to chart a course for strengthening child protection systems sustainably.