112-613: The Harkin–Engel Protocol , sometimes referred to as the Cocoa Protocol , is an international agreement aimed at ending the worst forms of child labor (according to the International Labour Organization 's Convention 182 ) and forced labor (according to ILO Convention 29 ) in the production of cocoa , the main ingredient in chocolate . The protocol was negotiated by U.S. Senator Tom Harkin and U.S. Representative Eliot Engel in response to
224-527: A Militarized police Rapid deployment force and Marine Police Unit . The Ghana Police Service operates in 12 divisions: ten covering the regions of Ghana, one assigned specifically to the seaport and industrial hub of Tema , and the twelfth being the Railways, Ports and Harbours Division. The Ghana Police Service's Marine Police Unit and Division handles issues that arise from the country's offshore oil and gas industry . The Ghana Prisons Service and
336-505: A commander-in-chief of the Ghana Armed Forces ( President of Ghana ), parliament ( Parliament of Ghana ), cabinet ( Cabinet of Ghana ), council of state ( Ghanaian Council of State ), and an independent judiciary ( Judiciary of Ghana ). The government is elected by universal suffrage after every four years. Nana Akufo-Addo won the presidency in the general election in 2016 , defeating incumbent John Mahama . He also won
448-483: A constitutional amendment made Ghana a one-party state , with Nkrumah as president for life of both the nation and its party. Nkrumah was the first African head of state to promote the concept of Pan-Africanism , which he had been introduced to during his studies at Lincoln University , Pennsylvania in the United States, at the time when Marcus Garvey was known for his "Back to Africa Movement". He merged
560-689: A unitary presidential constitutional democracy with a parliamentary multi-party system that is dominated by two parties—the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP). Ghana alternated between civilian and military governments until January 1993, when the military government gave way to the Fourth Republic of Ghana after presidential and parliamentary elections in late 1992. The 1992 constitution of Ghana divides powers among
672-534: A co-author of the 2015 report, made this comment in October 2018 to a journalist working for Mother Jones : "We don’t think conditions have changed significantly in terms of the number of children working." The publication concluded that, "despite some positive changes, such as an increase in the amount of finished chocolate sold in the Ivory Coast and Ghana – keeping more of the profits in the local economy – and
784-548: A documentary and multiple articles in 2000 and 2001 reporting widespread child slavery and child trafficking in the production of cocoa. The protocol was signed in September 2001. Joint Statements in 2001, 2005 and 2008 and a Joint Declaration in 2010 extended the commitment to address the problem. The industry's pledge to reduce child labor in Ivory Coast and Ghana by 70%, as per the Protocol, had not been met by late 2015;
896-560: A free secondary-school initiative started in 2017 among other programs, despite having recorded its lowest economic growth rate in 37 years in 2020. It produces and exports hydrocarbons such as sweet crude oil and natural gas . The 100%-state-owned filling station company, Ghana Oil Company , is the number 1 petroleum and gas filling station, and the 100%-state-owned state oil company Ghana National Petroleum Corporation oversees hydrocarbon exploration and production of petroleum and natural gas reserves. Ghana aims to further increase
1008-745: A label to indicate no child slave labor was used in growing or harvesting cocoa; this label would be similar to the " dolphin safe " labels used for tuna . The amendment was approved in the House of Representatives vote of 291–115. The bill appeared to have similar support in the Senate . The international cocoa industry strongly opposed it and the Chocolate Manufacturers Association hired former senators George Mitchell and Bob Dole to lobby against it. The cocoa industry faced potential consumer boycotts and harmful legislation if
1120-516: A maximum of about 270 kilometres (170 miles) with locations for mining of industrial minerals and timber. Ghana is home to five terrestrial ecoregions: Eastern Guinean forests , Guinean forest–savanna mosaic , West Sudanian savanna , Central African mangroves , and Guinean mangroves . It had a 2018 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 4.53/10, ranking it 112th globally out of 172 countries. The White Volta River and its tributary Black Volta , flow south through Ghana to Lake Volta ,
1232-480: A stable, peaceful society. Dagbon extended beyond the boundaries of present-day Ghana. Kingdoms that emerged from Dagbon include the Mossi Kingdoms of Burkina Faso , and Bouna Kingdom of Ivory Coast . The kingdom enjoyed great prosperity, establishing Ghana's earliest educational systems, and using a writing script prior to European invasion. Female chiefs who rule over male subjects are present in
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#17327724087851344-527: A structural adjustment plan, changing many old economic policies, and growth recovered during the mid-1980s. A new constitution restoring multi-party system politics was promulgated in the presidential election of 1992 , in which Rawlings was elected, and again in the general election of 1996 . In a tribal war in Northern Ghana in 1994, between the Konkomba and other ethnic groups, including
1456-410: A total of around 1,000 people accused of witchcraft. The Ghanaian government has announced that it intends to close the camps. Ghana possesses industrial minerals , hydrocarbons and precious metals . It is an emerging designated digital economy with mixed economy hybridisation and an emerging market . It has an economic plan target known as the "Ghana Vision 2020". This plan envisions Ghana as
1568-667: A trading lodge at a coastal settlement called Anomansah (the perpetual drink), which they renamed São Jorge da Mina . In 1481, King John II of Portugal commissioned Diogo de Azambuja to build the Elmina Castle , which was completed in three years. By 1598, the Dutch had joined the Portuguese in the gold trade, establishing the Dutch Gold Coast ( Nederlandse Bezittingen ter Kuste van Guinea – 'Dutch properties at
1680-675: Is Accra ; other significant cities include Kumasi , Tamale , and Sekondi-Takoradi . In 1957 Ghana became the first colony in Sub-Saharan Africa to achieve sovereignty, under the leadership of Kwame Nkrumah . The earliest kingdoms to emerge in Ghana were the Kingdom of Dagbon in the north and the Bonoman in the south, with Bonoman existing in the area during the 11th century. The Ashanti Empire and other Akan kingdoms in
1792-459: Is a comprehensive measure of African government, based on variables which reflect the success with which governments deliver essential political goods to its citizens. According to 2023 V-Dem Democracy indices Ghana is ranked 67th electoral democracy worldwide and 10th electoral democracy in Africa . Since independence, Ghana has been devoted to ideals of nonalignment and is a founding member of
1904-916: Is classified as a middle income country. Services account for 50% of GDP, followed by manufacturing (24.1%), extractive industries (5%), and taxes (20.9%). Ghana has an increasing primary manufacturing economy and export of digital technology goods along with assembling and exporting automobiles and ships, diverse resource rich exportation of industrial minerals , agricultural products primarily cocoa, petroleum and natural gas, and industries such as information and communications technology primarily via Ghana's state digital technology corporation Rlg Communications which manufactures tablet computers with smartphones and various consumer electronics . Urban electric cars have been manufactured in Ghana since 2014. It announced plans to issue government debt by way of social and green bonds in Autumn 2021, making it
2016-593: Is geographically closer to the intersection of the Prime Meridian and the Equator than any other country, since this point, (0°, 0°), is located in the Atlantic Ocean approximately 614 km (382 mi) off the south-east coast of Ghana. Grasslands mixed with south coastal shrublands and forests dominate Ghana, with forest extending northward from the coast 320 kilometres (200 miles) and eastward for
2128-642: Is located on the Gulf of Guinea , a few degrees north of the Equator . It spans an area of 238,540 km (92,101 sq mi) and has an Atlantic coastline that stretches 560 kilometres (350 miles) on the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to its south. Dodi Island and Bobowasi Island are near the south coast. It lies between latitudes 4°45'N and 11°N, and longitudes 1°15'E and 3°15'W. The prime meridian passes through Ghana, specifically through Tema . Ghana
2240-569: Is the fifth largest on continental Africa and 3rd largest in sub-saharan Africa with a market capitalisation of GH¢ 57.2 billion or CN¥ 180.4 billion in 2012 with the South Africa JSE Limited as first. The Ghana Stock Exchange was the second best performing stock exchange in sub-saharan Africa in 2013. Ghana produces high-quality cocoa . It is the second largest producer of cocoa globally and its ICCO membership helps in its international cocoa trade. Ghana
2352-477: Is the fifth-largest in Africa and the 21st-to-25th- largest proven reserves in the world. It also has up to 1.7 × 10 cubic metres (6 × 10 ^ cu ft) of natural gas in reserves. The government has drawn up plans to nationalise petroleum and natural gas reserves to increase government revenue. As of 2019, Ghana was the 7th largest producer of gold in the world, producing ~140 tonnes that year. This record saw Ghana surpass South Africa in output for
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#17327724087852464-580: Is used as a key narcotics industry transshipment point by traffickers, usually from South America as well as some from other African nations. In 2013, the UN chief of the Office on Drugs and Crime stated that "West Africa is completely weak in terms of border control and the big drug cartels from Colombia and Latin America have chosen Africa as a way to reach Europe." There is not a wide or popular knowledge about
2576-560: The 2020 election after the presidential election results were challenged at the Supreme Court by flagbearer of the NDC, John Mahama. Presidents are limited to two four-year terms in office. The president can serve a second term only upon re-election. The 2012 Fragile States Index indicated that Ghana is ranked the 67th-least fragile state in the world and the fifth-least fragile state in Africa. Ghana ranked 112th out of 177 countries on
2688-687: The African Union , and a member of the Economic Community of West African States , the Group of 24 and the Commonwealth of Nations. The name Ghana comes from Wagadu , a vast empire in west Africa from the 3rd to 12th centuries; Wagadu was termed Ghana by Arab traders involved in the trans-Saharan trade . Ghana is thought to originate from the title Kaya Maghan of the rulers of Wagadu, which translates as ruler of gold . As
2800-491: The Akan are the largest ethnic group, they constitute a plurality. Most Ghanaians are Christians (71.3%); almost a fifth are Muslims ; a tenth practice traditional faiths or report no religion. Ghana is a unitary constitutional democracy led by a president who is head of state and head of government . For political stability in Africa, Ghana ranked seventh in the 2012 Ibrahim Index of African Governance and fifth in
2912-638: The Atlantic slave trade in this area. More than 30 forts and castles were built by the merchants. The Germans established the Brandenburger Gold Coast or Groß Friedrichsburg. In 1874, Great Britain established control over some parts of the country, assigning these areas the status of the British Gold Coast . Military engagements occurred between British colonial powers and Akan nation-states. The Kingdom of Ashanti defeated
3024-532: The Gold Coast colony prepared for independence, the nation's leader and first prime minister later first president Kwame Nkrumah the one who led Ghana to independence, settled on Ghana , aiming to evoke a sense of unity and liberation among the Ghanaian people . The name was a powerful reminder of their shared heritage and the legacy of the ancient empire that once thrived in the wider region. It encapsulated
3136-525: The Nanumba , Dagomba and Gonja , between 1,000 and 2,000 people were killed and 150,000 people were displaced. After the 2000 general election , John Kufuor of the New Patriotic Party became president of Ghana on 7 January 2001 and was re-elected in 2004 , thus also serving two terms (the term limit) as president of Ghana and marking the first time under the fourth republic that power
3248-676: The Non-Aligned Movement . Ghana favours international and regional political and economic co-operation, and is an active member of the United Nations and the African Union . Ghana has a strong relationship with the United States. Three recent U.S. presidents— Bill Clinton , George W. Bush , and Barack Obama —and a Vice President— Kamala Harris —have made diplomatic trips to Ghana. Many Ghanaian diplomats and politicians hold positions in international organisations, including Ghanaian diplomat and former Secretary-General of
3360-649: The Northern Territories , and British Togoland . These were unified as an independent dominion within the Commonwealth of Nations . On 6 March 1957 Ghana became the first colony in Sub-Saharan Africa to achieve sovereignty - that is, gain independence. Under President Kwame Nkrumah , it became influential in decolonisation efforts and the Pan-African movement . Ghana is a multi-ethnic country with linguistic and religious groups; while
3472-526: The Takoradi Harbour . These ships were carrying thousands of kilograms of cocaine, with a street value running into billions of Ghana cedis . However, drug seizures saw a decline in 2011. Drug cartels are using new methods in narcotics production and narcotics exportation, to avoid Ghanaian security agencies. Underdeveloped institutions, porous open borders, and the existence of established smuggling organisations contribute to Ghana's position in
Harkin–Engel Protocol - Misplaced Pages Continue
3584-647: The US Department of Labor to find a university contractor to oversee the efforts to eliminate the worst forms of child labor. In 2006, a $ 4.3 million contract was awarded to the Payson Center for International Development at Tulane University through 2009. In 2006, the Payson Center reported progress had been made, but children were still working in cocoa production, including performing dangerous tasks, and regularly miss school. The cocoa industry
3696-1107: The 19th century, the territory of the southern part of Ghana was included in the Kingdom of Ashanti . The government of the Ashanti Empire operated first as a loose network and eventually as a centralised kingdom with a specialised bureaucracy centred in the capital city of Kumasi . Prior to Akan contact with Europeans, the Akan people created an economy based on principally gold and gold bar commodities , which were traded with other states in Africa. The Ga-Dangme and Ewe migrated westward from south-western Nigeria. The Ewe – formerly known as Dogbo- migrated from Oyo area with their Gbe-speaking kinsmen (Adja, Fon, Phla/Phera and Ogun/Gun) and in transition, settled at Ketou in Benin Republic, Tado in Togo, Dogbo Nyigbo in Benin Republic and with Nortsie (a walled town in present-day Togo) as their final dispersal point. Their dispersal from Nortsie
3808-467: The 2012 Fragile States Index . It has maintained since 1993 one of the freest and most stable governments on the continent, and it performs relatively well in healthcare , economic growth, and human development, so that it has a significant influence in West Africa and Africa as a whole. Ghana is highly integrated in international affairs, being a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement and
3920-614: The Akans were established in the Akan state called Bonoman , for which the Brong-Ahafo region was named. From the 17th century, Akans emerged from what is believed to have been the Bonoman area, to create Akan states, mainly based on gold trading. These states included Bonoman (Brong-Ahafo region), Ashanti ( Ashanti Region ), Denkyira ( Western North region ), Mankessim Kingdom ( Central region ), and Akwamu (Eastern region) . By
4032-571: The British some times in the 100-year-long Anglo-Ashanti wars and eventually lost with the War of the Golden Stool in 1900. In 1947, the newly formed United Gold Coast Convention led by "The Big Six" called for "self-government within the shortest possible time" following the 1946 Gold Coast legislative election . Kwame Nkrumah , a Ghanaian nationalist who led Ghana from 1957 to 1966 as
4144-508: The Child Labor Cocoa Coordinating Group to coordinate the activities of the framework and provide governance. To achieve the goals, the governments of Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana must fund and conduct child labor surveys, provide remediation for children removed from the worst forms of child labor, prevent children from becoming involved in the worst forms of child labor, enforce laws to protect the children from
4256-575: The Cocoa Barometer 2018 report on the $ 100-billion industry, said this about the child labor situation: "Not a single company or government is anywhere near reaching the sectorwide objective of the elimination of child labour, and not even near their commitments of a 70% reduction of child labour by 2020". A report later that year by New Food Economy stated that the Child Labour Monitoring and Remediation Systems implemented by
4368-494: The Department of Labor. This listing stemmed from a request by Anti-Slavery International in 2004 to investigate if Ivorian cocoa should be on this list. Executive Order 13126 requires federal contractors who supply products on the list must prove they have made a good faith effort to determine if the products were produced under forced labor. Thus contractors must prove they have made a good faith effort to determine if cocoa
4480-506: The GAF are conceptualised in the constitution, Ghana's Law on Armed Force Military Strategy, and Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre agreements to which GAF is attestator. GAF military operations are executed under the auspices and imperium of the Ministry of Defence . Although Ghana is relatively peaceful and is often considered being one of the least violent countries in
4592-594: The GAF to support the United States of Africa ambitions. Thus, in 1961, 4th and 5th Battalions were established, and in 1964 6th Battalion was established, from a parachute airborne unit originally raised in 1963. Today, Ghana is a regional power and regional hegemon . In his book Shake Hands with the Devil , Canadian Forces commander Roméo Dallaire highly rated the GAF soldiers and military personnel. The military operations and military doctrine of
Harkin–Engel Protocol - Misplaced Pages Continue
4704-818: The Guinea coast') and building forts at Fort Komenda and Kormantsi. In 1617, the Dutch captured the Elmina Castle from the Portuguese and Axim in 1642 ( Fort St Anthony ). European traders had joined in gold trading by the 17th century, including the Swedes , establishing the Swedish Gold Coast ( Svenska Guldkusten ), and Denmark–Norway , establishing the Danish Gold Coast ( Danske Guldkyst or Dansk Guinea ). European traders participated in
4816-577: The Harkin–Engel Protocol and reaffirmed the commitment to achieve the objectives of the protocol. The purpose of the framework of action was to reduce the worst forms of child labor 70% by 2020. Specifically, they were to remove children from and prevent children's involvement in the worst forms of child labor, promote sustainable livelihoods for cocoa growers, establish and implement community-based child labor monitoring systems, and continue national child labor surveys. The Joint Declaration established
4928-600: The International Cocoa Initiative and its partners has been useful, but "they are currently reaching less than 20 percent of the over two million children impacted". Class action lawsuits in the US against companies in the cocoa industry have not achieved much success. In 2015, lawuits against Mars, Nestlé, and Hershey's alleged that their products' packaging failed to disclose that production may involve child slave labor. All were dismissed in 2016, although
5040-617: The President Nana Akufo-Addo , Ghana was "the first sub-Saharan African country to achieve the goal of halving poverty, as contained in Goal 1 of the Millennium Development Goals ". In 1957, the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) consisted of its headquarters, support services, three battalions of infantry and a reconnaissance squadron with armoured vehicles. President Nkrumah aimed at rapidly expanding
5152-565: The United Nations Kofi Annan , International Criminal Court Judge Akua Kuenyehia , as well as former President Jerry John Rawlings and former President John Agyekum Kufuor , who both served as diplomats of the United Nations. In September 2010, President John Atta Mills visited China on an official visit. Mills and China's former President Hu Jintao marked the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between
5264-666: The Wikimedia System Administrators, please include the details below. Request from 172.68.168.151 via cp1112 cp1112, Varnish XID 917762573 Upstream caches: cp1112 int Error: 429, Too Many Requests at Thu, 28 Nov 2024 05:40:09 GMT Ghana Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana , is a country in West Africa . It lies adjacent to the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to
5376-699: The agricultural sector. The Volta River Authority and the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation , both state-owned, are the two major electricity producers. The Akosombo Dam , built on the Volta River in 1965, along with the Bui Dam , the Kpong Dam and several other hydroelectric dams, provide hydropower . In addition, the government sought to build the second nuclear power plant in Africa . The Ghana Stock Exchange
5488-415: The aspirations of the Ghanaian people for self-governance, progress, and a future marked by dignity and resilience. The earliest recorded kingdoms to emerge in modern Ghana were the Mole-Dagbon states. Before the unification of Dagbon, societies were decentralised, and headed by the Tindaamba (singular: tindana). These decentralised states were unified by King Gbewaa , who lived a long life, and formed
5600-478: The bill were to pass. Mitchell and Dole encouraged the industry to make a deal, and before the bill went to a vote in the Senate, the cocoa industry agreed to address the problem without legislation. Senator Tom Harkin and Engel negotiated a deal with the cocoa industry to create the Harkin–Engel Protocol. The protocol was signed in September 2001 with the objective to eliminate the " worst forms of child labor " and adult forced labor on cocoa farms in West Africa. It
5712-406: The budget. According to reports, the SDGs were implemented through a decentralized planning approach. This allows for stakeholders' participation, such as in UN agencies, traditional leaders, civil society organizations, academia, and others. The 17 SDGs are a global call to action to end poverty among others, and the UN and its partners in the country are working towards achieving them. According to
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#17327724087855824-406: The children were trafficked to Côte d'Ivoire, forced into slavery, and experienced frequent beatings on a cocoa plantation. In September 2010, the US District Court for the Central District of California determined corporations cannot be held liable for violations of international law and dismissed the suit. The case was appealed to the US Court of Appeals . By the revised deadline—1 June 2008—all
5936-429: The chocolate industry set the price of chocolate so that the producers make enough money to fairly compensate their workers. In 2011, ten years after implementation, it was unclear if the protocol had any effect in reducing child labor. One Payson Center researcher claimed few of the protocol commitments have been implemented, but the ICI claimed five of the six articles have been completed and they are actively working on
6048-433: The cocoa industry three more years to implement the protocol. The Joint Statement stated industry would form a certification system for half of the growing regions in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana. The Joint Statement also stated industry would support programs for the local cocoa-growing communities including teacher training programs. The US Congress was not satisfied with the cocoa industry's response. It gave responsibility to
6160-467: The cocoa industry. The International Cocoa Initiative involving major cocoa manufacturers established the Child Labor Monitoring and Remediation System intended to monitor thousands of farms in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire for child labor conditions. Despite these efforts, goals to reduce child labor in West Africa by 70% before 2020 are frustrated by persistent poverty, absence of schools, expansion of cocoa farmland, and increased demand for cocoa. In April 2018,
6272-495: The colours red, gold, green, and a black star, dates back to this unification. On 1 July 1960, following the Ghanaian constitutional referendum and Ghanaian presidential election , Nkrumah declared Ghana a republic and assumed the presidency. 6 March is the nation's Independence Day , and 1 July is celebrated as Republic Day . Nkrumah led an authoritarian regime in Ghana, as he repressed political opposition and conducted elections that were not free and fair. In 1964,
6384-404: The country's first prime minister and president , formed the Convention People's Party in 1949 with the motto "self-government now". The party initiated a "positive action" campaign involving non-violent protests, strikes and non-cooperation with the British authorities. Nkrumah was arrested and sentenced to one year imprisonment during this time. In the Gold Coast's 1951 general election , he
6496-500: The day was instituted as a public holiday in Ghana ( Founders' Day ). The government of Nkrumah was subsequently overthrown in a coup by the Ghana Armed Forces , codenamed "Operation Cold Chop". This occurred while Nkrumah was abroad with Zhou Enlai in the People's Republic of China, on a mission to Hanoi , Vietnam, to help end the Vietnam War . The coup took place on 24 February 1966, led by Colonel Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka and Brigadier Akwasi Afrifa. The National Liberation Council
6608-476: The deadline was again extended, to 2020. In late 2000 a BBC documentary reported the use of enslaved children in the production of cocoa —the main ingredient in chocolate — in West Africa . Other media followed by reporting widespread child slavery and child trafficking in the production of cocoa. The cocoa industry was accused of profiting from child slavery and trafficking. The European Cocoa Association dismissed these accusations as "false and excessive" and
6720-415: The deadlines were not met. This agreement was one of the first times an American industry was subjected to self-regulation and one of the first times self-regulation was used to address an international human rights issue. By July 2005—the deadline date—the cocoa industry made progress on their goal to eliminate the worst forms of child labor. Most of the requirements were achieved by the deadline. Before
6832-469: The economics of cocoa that's published by a consortium of nonprofits, the average farmer in Ghana in the 2013–14 growing season made just 84¢ per day, and farmers in Ivory Coast a mere 50¢. That puts them well below the World Bank's new $ 1.90 per day standard for extreme poverty, even if you factor in the 13% rise in the price of cocoa last year. Sona Ebai, the former secretary general of the Alliance of Cocoa Producing Countries said that eradicating child labor
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#17327724087856944-514: The findings back to the company and its suppliers. When alerted to instances of child trafficking or slavery, "we report it to appropriate authorities immediately". The company said it had spent $ 5.5 million on the problem in 2016. Note too that Nestlé had published a report in 2017 on child labour in the cocoa supply chain, Tackling Child Labour, with additional specifics as to their "approach to addressing this significant, complex and sensitive challenge". Tulane University professor William Bertrand,
7056-416: The first African country to become a developed country between 2020 and 2029 and a newly industrialised country between 2030 and 2039. This excludes fellow Group of 24 member and Sub-Saharan African country South Africa, which is a newly industrialised country. Ghana's economy has ties to the Chinese yuan renminbi along with Ghana's vast gold reserves. In 2013, the Bank of Ghana began circulating
7168-406: The first African country to do so. The country, which was planning to borrow up to $ 5 billion in international markets, would use the proceeds from these sustainable bonds to refinance debt used for social and environmental projects and pay for educational or health. Only a few other nations have sold them so far, including Chile and Ecuador . The country will use the proceeds to forge ahead with
7280-501: The first time, making Ghana the largest gold producer in Africa. In addition to gold, Ghana exports silver , timber, diamonds , bauxite , and manganese , and has other mineral deposits. Ghana ranks 9th in the world in diamond export and reserve size. The government has drawn up plans to nationalize mining industry to increase government revenue. "Shortages" of electricity in 2015 and 2016 led to dumsor ("persistent, irregular and unpredictable" electric power outages), increasing
7392-420: The governments of Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana to set up independent certification by the end of 2010; assist the governments to target remediation efforts based on the independent certification; and support the ICI as it expands to more local communities and provide training on safe labor practices. In 2009, cocoa from Côte d'Ivoire and Nigeria was added to a list of products made by forced child labor maintained by
7504-423: The growing areas in both Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana. But independent verification, partially funded by industry, on those areas was not fully completed. The deadline was extended until the end of 2010. At that time, industry was required to have a full certification and independent verification. All parties reaffirmed their commitment to eliminate the worst forms of child labor. The cocoa industry committed to work with
7616-437: The growing areas. The cocoa industry still has to prove it can self-regulate. The Payson Center recommended the industry create a certification system that can assure consumers the worst forms of child labor are not used in production, create an independent verification of that certification system, implement child labor monitoring systems, and increase remediation activities to address the worst forms of child labor. A study of
7728-449: The growth and processing of cocoa in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana . The protocol was a voluntary agreement that partnered governments, the global cocoa industry, cocoa producers, cocoa laborers, non-governmenal organizations. The agreement laid out a series of date-specific actions, including the development of voluntary standards of public certification. The Protocol did not commit the industry to ending all child labor in cocoa production, only
7840-423: The index. Ghana ranked as the 64th-least corrupt and politically corrupt country in the world out of all 174 countries ranked and ranked as the fifth-least corrupt and politically corrupt country in Africa out of 53 countries in the 2012 Transparency International Corruption Perception Index . Ghana was ranked seventh in Africa out of 53 countries in the 2012 Ibrahim Index of African Governance . The Ibrahim Index
7952-446: The industry said the reports were not representative of all areas. Later the industry acknowledged the working conditions for children were unsatisfactory and children's rights were sometimes violated and acknowledged the claims could not be ignored. In 2001, US Representative Eliot Engel introduced a legislative amendment to an agriculture bill. This amendment was to give the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) $ 250,000 to develop
8064-428: The interest in renewables. As of 2019, there is a surplus of electricity. The judicial system of Ghana deals with corruption, economic malpractice and lack of economic transparency. According to Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index of 2018, out of 180 countries, Ghana was ranked 78th, with a score of 41 on a scale where a 0–9 score means highly corrupt, and a 90–100 score means very clean. This
8176-475: The intersection of three hydro-climatic zones. Changes in rainfall, weather conditions and sea-level rise affect the salinity of coastal waters. This is expected to negatively affect both farming and fisheries. In 2015, the government produced a document titled "Ghana's Intended Nationally Determined Contribution". Following that, Ghana signed the Paris Climate Agreement in 2016. Ghana is
8288-482: The introduction of free primary education in the Ivory Coast, broad change is still elusive". In 2021, the nongovernmental organization International Rights Advocates filed a lawsuit on behalf of eight former child workers, accusing several multinational chocolate producers of aiding and abetting the illegal enslavement of children. The lawsuit was based in part on the Harkin-Engel Protocol. The lawsuit
8400-621: The kingdom, and inheritance is both patrilineal and matrilineal. The Yaa Naa is the King of Dagbon and the Gundo Naa is the Queen. The kingdom remained uncolonised. In 1896, Germany invaded Eastern Dagbon (Naya) and burnt down its capital, Yendi, during the Battle of Adibo . The Akan -speaking peoples began to move into what later became Ghana toward the 15th century. By the 16th century,
8512-488: The narcotics industry and intercepted narcotics within Ghana, since it is an underground economy . The social context within which narcotic trafficking, storage, transportation, and repacking systems exist in Ghana and the state's location along the Gulf of Guinea makes Ghana an attractive country for the narcotics business. The Narcotics Control Board has impounded container ships at the Sekondi Naval Base in
8624-666: The narcotics industry. President Mills initiated ongoing efforts to reduce the role of airports in Ghana's drug trade. Homosexual acts are prohibited by law in Ghana. According to a 2013 survey by the Pew Research Center , 96% of Ghanaians believe that homosexuality should not be accepted by society. Sometimes elderly women in Ghana are accused of witchcraft , particularly in rural Ghana. Issues of witchcraft mainly remain as speculations based on superstitions within families. In some parts of northern Ghana, there exist what are called witch camps . These are said to house
8736-607: The neighbouring Togo, Benin Republic and Nigeria (around Badagry area). Akan trade with European states began after contact with the Portuguese in the 15th century. European contact was by the Portuguese people , who came to the Gold Coast region in the 15th century to trade. The Portuguese then established the Portuguese Gold Coast (Costa do Ouro), focused on the availability of gold. The Portuguese built
8848-664: The next five years with the possibility of $ 3 million more for remediation activities. The responsibility of the US Department of Labor is to commit $ 10 million in 2010 for a multi-year program to support the framework and report on the progress of these efforts. Household surveys and governmental research in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana showed that there were 1.8 million children working in cocoa agriculture. About 5% in Côte d'Ivoire and 10% in Ghana worked for pay. Children are commonly involved in hazardous work and some are still involved in
8960-539: The objectives were still not met. Some progress had been made; for example, the cocoa industry had provided $ 10 million to the ICI. In 2006–07 the ICI had 17 training sessions in Côte d'Ivoire and 23 in Ghana to sensitize the governmental officials, police and media about child and adult labor practices. The focus of the Joint Statement was that of certification. The cocoa industry performed data collection had on 50% of
9072-428: The output of oil to 2.2 million barrels (350,000 m ) per day and gas to 34,000,000 cubic metres (1.2 × 10 ^ cu ft) per day. The Jubilee Oil Field , which contains up to 3 billion barrels (480,000,000 m ) of sweet crude oil, was discovered in 2007. Ghana is believed to have up to 5 billion barrels (790,000,000 m ) to 7 billion barrels (1.1 × 10 m ) of petroleum in reserves, which
9184-401: The plaintiffs filed an appeal. Nestlé's website, as paraphrased by Mother Jones magazine, states: The company has built or renovated 42 schools in cocoa-growing communities and has helped support families so they can afford to keep their kids in school rather than sending them off to work and the company has implemented a monitoring system, it says, to identify at-risk children and report
9296-474: The private sector. And there, you really need leadership." Reported in 2018, a 3-year pilot program – conducted by Nestlé with 26,000 farmers mostly located in Côte d'Ivoire – observed a 51% decrease in the number of children doing hazardous jobs in cocoa farming. The US Department of Labor formed the Child Labor Cocoa Coordinating Group as a public-private partnership with the governments of Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire to address child labor practices in
9408-402: The protocol was signed, the cocoa industry acknowledged the problem of forced child labor to address part of Article 1. A Joint Statement was made in 2001 to address part of Article 3. The International Cocoa Initiative (ICI) was established in 2002 to address part of Article 5. Through the ICI, $ 3 million was spent on pilot projects. The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)
9520-497: The protocol was the Ivorian Civil War . Along with diamonds and timber , cocoa was a conflict resource that made money for the militants. By July 2005 the extent of child involvement in cocoa production was unclear. It was also unclear if the cocoa industry's efforts were helping the problem. On 1 July 2005, all the parties agreed to an extension of the protocol through a Joint Statement. The 2005 Joint Statement gave
9632-424: The protocol. In 2011, the Payson Center reported the cocoa industry has not fully completed any of the six articles. Industry had not completed the 2005 Joint Statement commitment of certification for 50% of the growing areas in the two countries, much less the 2008 Joint Statement commitment of remediation activities in 100% of the growing areas. Côte d'Ivoire had only achieved remediation in 3.8% and Ghana in 31% of
9744-550: The region, Ghana has experienced political violence in the past and 2017 has thus far seen an upward trend in incidents motivated by political grievances. The Ghana Police Service and the Criminal Investigation Department are the main law enforcement agencies, responsible for the detection of crime, maintenance of law and order and the maintenance of internal peace and security. The Ghana Police Service has eleven specialised police units, including
9856-442: The renminbi throughout Ghanaian state-owned banks and to the Ghana public as hard currency along with the national Ghanaian cedi for second national trade currency. Between 2012 and 2013, 38% of rural dwellers were experiencing poverty whereas only 11% of urban dwellers were. Urban areas hold greater opportunity for employment, particularly in informal trade, while nearly all (94 percent) of "rural poor households" participate in
9968-522: The sixth. In 2012, Miki Mistrati [ da ] , creator of the award-winning documentary, The Dark Side of Chocolate , claimed the protocol is just "a document and politics" because there has been no progress. He thinks that the same issues will be present in five years and that changes will not come through the protocol, but instead from consumers who demand change. Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention#Predefined worst forms of child labour Too Many Requests If you report this error to
10080-561: The south emerged over the centuries. Beginning in the 15th century, the Portuguese Empire , followed by other European powers , contested the area for trading rights, until the British ultimately established control of the coast by the 19th century . Following more than a century of colonial resistance, the current borders of the country took shape, encompassing four separate British colonial territories: Gold Coast , Ashanti ,
10192-400: The south, sharing a border with Ivory Coast in the west , Burkina Faso in the north , and Togo in the east . Ghana covers an area of 239,567 km (92,497 sq mi), spanning diverse ecologies , from coastal savannas to tropical rainforests . With nearly 35 million inhabitants, Ghana is the second-most populous country in West Africa . The capital and largest city
10304-504: The sub-division Borstal Institute for Juveniles administers incarceration. Ghana retains and exercises the death penalty for treason, corruption, robbery, piracy, drug trafficking, rape, and homicide. The new sustainable development goals adopted by the United Nations call for the international community to come together to promote the rule of law; support equal access to justice for all; reduce corruption; and develop effective, accountable, and transparent institutions at all levels. Ghana
10416-580: The sustainability of Chinese-financed projects, environmental impacts, and the lack of transparency in their investments call for a careful assessment of these collaborations. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad met with Mahama in 2013 to hold discussions on strengthening the Non-Aligned Movement and also co–chair a bilateral meeting between Ghana and Iran at the Ghanaian presidential palace Flagstaff House . The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) were integrated into Ghana's development agenda and
10528-636: The teachings of Garvey, Martin Luther King Jr. and the naturalised Ghanaian scholar W. E. B. Du Bois into the formation of 1960s Ghana. Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, as he became known, played an instrumental part in the founding of the Non-Aligned Movement , and in establishing the Kwame Nkrumah Ideological Institute to teach his ideologies of communism and socialism . His life achievements were recognised by Ghanaians during his centenary birthday celebration, and
10640-850: The two nations, at the Great Hall of the People . China reciprocated with an official visit in November 2011, by the vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China , Zhou Tienong who visited Ghana and met with Ghana's President John Mahama . China recently became one of the top investing countries of Ghana, which predominantly focus on infrastructure, natural resources, and manufacturing sectors, have promoted economic growth, job creation, and technology transfer in Ghana. However, concerns regarding
10752-516: The use of child labor in the cocoa fields, published in Fortune magazine in the U.S. in March 2016, concluded that approximately 2.1 million children in West Africa "still do the dangerous and physically taxing work of harvesting cocoa". The report suggested that it would be an uphill battle to improve the situation: According to the 2015 edition of the Cocoa Barometer, a biennial report examining
10864-405: The world's third-largest reservoir by volume and largest by surface area, formed by the hydroelectric Akosombo Dam , completed in 1965. The Volta flows out of Lake Volta into the Gulf of Guinea . The northernmost part of Ghana is Pulmakong and the southernmost part of Ghana is Cape Three Points . The climate of Ghana is tropical , and there is wet season and dry season . Ghana sits at
10976-401: The worst forms of child labor, and develop the infrastructure of the cocoa growing regions. The responsibility of the cocoa and chocolate industries is to continue to support the child labor surveys, support remediation efforts, provide sustainable livelihoods for the households of cocoa growers, try to ensure cocoa supply chains are using safe practices. The industries will commit $ 7 million over
11088-399: The worst forms of child labor. Between 2001 and 2009, several thousand children were involved in remediation activities including in each country. These activities include withdrawal, rehabilitation, reinsertion, education and vocational training and these efforts were attributed to funding related to the Harkin–Engel Protocol. Less than 5% of all children were exposed to activities related to
11200-413: The worst forms of child labor. The chocolate companies were criticized for executing the protocol at the smallest cost, remaining mostly hands-off in the process without changing the process, and maintaining a business model dependent on child labor. More importantly, they did not alter the price of chocolate to enable the cocoa producers to end the practice of slavery. One of the major obstacles to executing
11312-401: The worst forms of it. The parties agreed to a six-article plan: A 2001 Joint Statement extended the protocol to also identify and eliminate forced labor (defined according to ILO Convention 29 ) in the production of cocoa. The protocol laid out a non-binding agreement for the cocoa industry to regulate itself without any legal implications, but Engel threatened to reintroduce legislation if
11424-405: Was an immense task and that the chocolate companies' newfound commitment to expanding the investments in cocoa communities are not quite sufficient. ... "Best-case scenario, we're only doing 10% of what's needed. Getting that other 90% won't be easy. ... I think child labor cannot be just the responsibility of industry to solve. I think it's the proverbial all-hands-on-deck: government, civil society,
11536-510: Was assigned to survey West Africans about children in cocoa production. Pilot projects were formed to monitor child labor. In 2004, the cocoa industry created and funded Verification Working Group. The funding was discontinued in 2006, but another company was contracted to perform verification in 2007. But all the protocol requirements were not met by the deadline. The cocoa industry failed to create and implement an industry-wide certification standard to indicate that cocoa had not been produced with
11648-763: Was criticized for a lack of certification standards and the governments of Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana were criticized for a lack of transparency. In 2006, the president of the World Cocoa Foundation said, "While progress has been made and we have learned valuable lessons, much more is required." After the deadline passed, the International Labor Rights Fund filed a lawsuit in 2005 under the Alien Tort Claims Act against Nestlé , Cargill and Archer Daniels Midland on behalf of three Malian children. The suit alleged
11760-405: Was described as a "stable democracy". As a result of the 2016 general election , Nana Akufo-Addo became president on 7 January 2017. He was re-elected after a tightly contested election in 2020 . To combat deforestation, on 11 June 2021 Ghana inaugurated Green Ghana Day, with the aim of planting five million trees in a concentrated effort to preserve the country's rainforest cover. Ghana
11872-589: Was dismissed in 2022 due to the plaintiffs' lack of standing. In 2001, the Child Labor Coalition, a collection of advocacy groups focusing on child labor issues in the US and worldwide, criticized the protocol for only addressing Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana. It suggested extending the protocol to the whole world, because exploitative practices were also reported in the cocoa industries in Brazil and Indonesia . The Child Labor Coalition also recommended that
11984-712: Was elected to Parliament and was released from prison. He became prime minister in 1952 and began a policy of Africanization. At midnight of March 6, 1957, the Gold Coast, Ashanti, the Northern Territories, and British Togoland were unified as one single independent dominion within the British Commonwealth under the name Ghana. This was done under the Ghana Independence Act 1957 . The current flag of Ghana , consisting of
12096-577: Was formed, chaired by Lieutenant General Joseph A. Ankrah . A series of alternating military and civilian governments, often affected by economic instabilities, ruled Ghana from 1966, ending with the ascent to power of Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings of the Provisional National Defence Council in 1981. These changes resulted in the suspension of the constitution in 1981 and the banning of political parties . The economy soon declined, so Rawlings negotiated
12208-700: Was necessitated by the high-handed rule of King Agorkorli (Agɔ Akɔli) who was the reigning monarch of the tribe at that time. The Ewe in Ghana speak three principal dialects: Anlo(along the coast),Tongu(along the Volta river) and Ewedome (in the hill country side).The Ga-Dangme occupy the Greater Accra Region and parts of the Eastern Region, while the Ewe are found in the Volta Region as well as
12320-399: Was produced under forced labor. Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana were placed on the 2009 US State Department 's Tier 2 Watch List for human trafficking due in part to the trafficking of children in cocoa production. In 2009 the Department of Labor awarded a second, $ 1.2 million contract to the Payson Center to continue the oversight through 2011. The 2010 Joint Declaration summarized the pledge of
12432-579: Was signed and witnessed by the heads of eight major chocolate companies, Harkin, Engel, Senator Herb Kohl , the ambassador of Côte d'Ivoire, the director of the International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labor , and others. The Harkin–Engel Protocol is a voluntary public-private agreement to eliminate the worst forms of child labor (defined according to the International Labour Organization (ILO)'s Convention 182 ) in
12544-530: Was transferred from one legitimately elected head of state and head of government to another. Nana Akufo-Addo , the ruling party candidate, was defeated in a very close 2008 general election by John Atta Mills of the National Democratic Congress . Mills died of natural causes and was succeeded by Vice President John Mahama on 24 July 2012. Following the 2012 general election , Mahama became president in his own right, and Ghana
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