Commerial sexual exploitation: About 100,000 children affected
Mrs Abena Anobea Asare
About 100,000 children in Ghana are sexually abused and exploited mainly for profit, a study from the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP), has revealed.
The number falls short of the global figure of 4.8 million people who are exploited with women and children in the majority while 30 per cent of all victims are from Africa.
The culprits behind this exploitation keep the business flourishing with the children charging between GH¢3.00 and GH¢2,000 depending on how well they negotiate.
Ms Abena Anobea Asare, a Director of Human Trafficking Unit at the MoGCSP, made this disclosure last Tuesday, at a workshop organised by the Public Health Nurses’ School at Korle-Bu in Accra.
It was on the theme ‘Child prostitution, a public health concern.’
By definition, she described prostitution as ‘selling’ one’s body or receipt of money on behalf of someone in exchange for sex and other sexual related activities.
She stated that child prostitution was the worst form of child labour and a crime, mentioning Section 91(2) of Act 560 of the Children’s Act and Article 3a and 3b of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 182 which describes it as a hazardous work.
She identified pressure from family members for children to bring money, illiteracy, school dropout, ignorance, domestic violence, broken homes, insecurity, globalisation, internet access and improper use of technology as well as weak border control were factors that has contributed to the child sexual exploitation.
She said it was difficult for victims of child prostitution to quit the act because of peer pressure, induced drug addiction and dependencies, economic necessity, seized documents and lack of access to communication.
According to Ms Asare, the act was abusive, hazardous and does not allow the child to benefit fully from school due to various forms of trauma, self-lost, working for long hours and denial of night sleeps.
“It steals the childhood of the child,” she said, adding that, it was exploitative which deprives the person of his or her basic human rights.
According to her, commercial sex exploitation of children can take place at brothels, on the street, homes of people who brings ‘customers’ to take a percentage of the profits from the sexual activities.
“Occasionally, a pimp is a family member of the victim, brokering the sexual favours of their daughter or niece for financial gains,” Ms Asare added.
According to her, the practice had become a public health issue due to its negative impact on the child, family and effects on the society and the country at large.
In an attempt to address the challenge, she said her outfit was involved in awareness creation, and capacity building for children, parents and other stakeholders.
Also, she said the ministry was involved in rescuing, rehabilitating and reintegrating victims into the society while pimps or hookers are punished or convicted when caught.
By Jemima Esinam Kuatsinu
![Mrs Georgina Quaittoo [third from right] pose with some members of the Association Photos Okai Elizabeth.](https://spectator.com.gh/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Mrs-Georgina-Quaittoo-third-from-right-pose-with-some-members-of-the-Association-Photos-Okai-Elizabeth.jpg)
THE Times Ladies Association, a group consisting of female staff of the New Times Corporation (NTC), on Monday commemorated this year’s International Women’s Day with a call on women to empower themselves through education, unity and healthy living to contribute meaningfully to national development.
The event, held at the NTC’s boardroom, was attended by management members and staff of the corporation and was to celebrate the achievements of women and reflect on their role in society.
In her address, the President of the association, Mrs Georgina N.M Quaittoo, said the global celebration, marked annually on March 8, recognised the economic, political and social achievements of women while raising awareness about gender equality.
Although the international celebration fell on Sunday, she explained that the association decided to mark the occasion on March 9 to enable members to participate fully and commemorate the day in their own way.
Speaking on this year’s theme: ‘Rights. Justice. Action. For All Women and Girls,’ and the global campaign theme: ‘Give to Gain,’ she the association had over the years worked tirelessly to support the growth and progress of the corporation despite the challenges they faced.
Urged members to commit themselves to deeper service to humanity and the advancement of women. She said women were unique, resilient and invaluable to society, stating that they deserved respect, appreciation, kindness and love for the vital roles they played in families, workplaces and communities.
According to her, members of the President, who is also the Editor of The Spectator newspaper, encouraged members to empower themselves academically and take advantage of opportunities to improve their lives and careers.
She also urged them to maintain healthy lifestyles by going for regular medical check-ups, exercise regularly, get enough rest and support one another.
Moreover, she advised members to accept leadership positions when given the opportunity and to exhibit qualities such as hard work, confidence, patience, compassion and responsibility in both their homes and workplaces.
Contributing, the Chanel Marketing and Circulation Manager, Mr Alfred Koomson, said women played critical roles in society and deserved to be supported and appreciated.
He urged men to recognise that they were often vulnerable species without the care, support and contributions of women in their lives.
He, therefore, commended women for the invaluable roles they play as mothers, caregivers, professionals and leaders, stressing that society would be incomplete without them.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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A former Sec ond Lady, Mrs Matilda Amis sah-Arthur, has called for urgent action to bridge literacy gaps among young girls in the country to advance gender equality.
She stressed that improving lit eracy among girls was essential not only for women’s empowerment but also for national development.
“Addressing the literacy gap is not a woman’s issue. It is a nation al necessity and, with the passing of the Affirmative Action (Gender Equality) Act, 2024, Ghana is signalling that women belong in leadership, but leadership begins with a book,” she said.
Mrs Amissah-Arthur made the call at an event organised by the Ghana Library Authority (GLA) in Accra yesterday to mark Interna tional Women’s Day (IWD) on the theme: “Her Voice in Libraries: Women Transforming Literacy in Ghana.”
According to her, many girls in Ghana still drop out of school due to poverty, lack of mentorship and limited support systems, warning that without deliberate interven tions some risk becoming part of worrying national statistics.
The former Second Lady encouraged students, particularly girls, to see education not only as a tool for personal advancement but also as a means of empowering future generations.
“Don’t shy away from STEM and ICT subjects. Break into the male-dominated areas and bridge the digital divide,” she added.
Mrs Amissah-Arthur also called for stronger partnerships between men and women in advancing gen der equality, stressing that the issue should be viewed as a national development priority rather than solely a women’s concern.
“Gender equality is not a woman’s issue. It is a development issue. It requires partnership, respect and shared responsibility,” she said.
She further expressed opti mism that with the right support systems, every child, regardless of gender, could achieve their full potential.
In a remark, the Chief Director of the Ministry of Education, Lydia Essuah, said that despite progress made in promoting gender equality in the education sector, challenges remained in ensuring progression, completion and quality learning outcomes for all learners.
She highlighted the important role of libraries in advancing liter acy and lifelong learning skills, and called for increased investment in library infrastructure and services to help build a knowledge-driven society.
The Executive Director of the Ghana Library Authority, Alhassan Ziblim Bentintiche, also under scored the importance of libraries in empowering young people, par ticularly girls, with access to books, digital resources and mentorship opportunities.
He disclosed plans to expand Ghana’s library infrastructure and services to particularly attract the youth and promote literacy.
BY ABIGAIL ANNOH
