Ghana | Human rights, trafficking and child protection | 17 October 2026
Ghana has moved to Tier 1 in the United States’ 2026 Trafficking in Persons Report. The ranking reflects the assessment that Ghana’s government meets the report’s minimum standards for combating trafficking. It does not mean trafficking has ended.
In 2025, authorities investigated 222 trafficking cases, prosecuted 212 alleged traffickers and secured 28 convictions. Officials identified 2,331 victims: 492 in sex trafficking, 1,302 in labour trafficking and 537 in other or unspecified categories. These are people identified through official processes, not an estimate of everyone affected.
The assessment also points to serious gaps. Shelter capacity remains inadequate, particularly for adults. Children remain at risk of exploitation in fishing, agriculture, domestic work and other activities. Fraudulent recruitment also continues to expose people to abuse.
More people being identified may mean better detection, not necessarily that trafficking itself has increased. The important test is whether those identified can get protection and justice.
Source: Ghana News Agency, 9 October 2026, reporting figures from the 2026 Trafficking in Persons Report. Counting note: These annual trafficking statistics are not added to monthly GBV incident totals.
Leave a Reply