On February 20, 2023, the Federal Republic of Germany Embassy in Accra hosted a bilateral meeting with the Minister for Gender, Children, and Social Protection, Hon. Hajia Lariba Zuweira Abudu, and other Government officials to dialogue on issues of common interest to both Ghana and Germany.
Mr. Daniel Krull, German Ambassador to Ghana, requested the meeting as part of a joint visit to Ghana by Mr. Hubert Heil, German Federal Minister for Labor and Social Affairs; Ms. Svenja Schulze, German Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development; and Mr. Gilbert F. Houngbo, Director of the International Labor Organization (ILO).
A wide range of topics, including Child Labor and Protection, were the focus of the discussions.
On her part, Madam Hajia Lariba Abudu commended the German government for working closely with Ghana to fight human trafficking and address other contemporary global concerns.
“We are pleased to inform you that Ghana has maintained its Tier Two position in the US Department of Labor’s (DOL) ranking of nations for the fifth year in a row. This demonstrates our ongoing dedication to fighting human trafficking.” She said.
She disclosed that, in 2022, the Ministry trained 131 officers, including pilots, flight attendants, and others, on victim identification and compliance with counter-trafficking activities.
On child labour issues, she disclosed that the Ministry is establishing child labour-free zones in various communities to tackle child labour, adding that, Ghana continues to promote Gender Equality and Equity in its efforts to create an inclusive society for all.
The meeting had the presence of Mr. Samuel A. Jinapor – Minister for Lands and Natural Resources / Caretaker for Trade and Industry – as well as Hon. Ignatius Baffour-Awuah, Minister for Employment, Labour Relations and Pensions.