Regional President for Africa and Europe at IJM, Andy Griffiths
The President for the Africa and Europe Region of the International Justice Mission (IJM), Andy Griffiths, has called on the Government of Ghana to increase sustained investment in child protection systems to strengthen the fight against child trafficking and labour exploitation.
Speaking at the 2026 National Justice Conference in Accra, Mr. Griffiths said progress in protecting children cannot be sustained by good intentions alone but requires justice systems that are adequately funded, staffed and equipped to respond to violence and exploitation.
He commended Ghana for establishing a strong legal framework against human trafficking, particularly the Human Trafficking Fund, describing it as a practical demonstration of the country’s commitment to supporting survivors and strengthening victim-centred justice.
According to him, the next step is to ensure the Fund is adequately resourced to provide reliable support for survivors, frontline responders and the broader child protection system.
Global Lessons
Drawing on IJM’s experience across several countries, Mr. Griffiths said governments that consistently invest in justice systems have recorded measurable reductions in trafficking and violence, with some jurisdictions achieving reductions of between 50 and 85 percent.
He identified sustained public investment, strong cross-sector partnerships and data-driven decision-making as the three critical pillars for building effective child protection systems.
Minister Calls for Shared Responsibility
Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, also underscored the importance of sustainable financing, describing child protection as a shared national responsibility requiring coordinated investment by government, Parliament, the Judiciary, development partners, civil society, the private sector and communities. She stressed that protecting children is an investment in Ghana’s future development.
The conference, organised by IJM Ghana under the theme “Sustainable Funding for Child Protection Against Labour Exploitation,” brought together government officials, development partners, civil society organisations, including ICEDEG Africa, and justice sector institutions to explore long-term financing strategies for protecting vulnerable children.
