An ever-evolving threat in Ghana and beyond

On January 20, 2021, a joint press release was issued by the Medical and Dental Council (MDC) and the Office of Economic and Organized Crime (EOCO) on the ‘harvesting babies’ / trafficking in our beloved country, Ghana.

It appeared in the press release that a team from these two institutions, therefore MDC and EOCO between the periods of June to November 2020, had investigated the activities of certain doctors, nurses, social welfare officers and other suspected persons. to be involved in the illegal act of removing babies and trafficking in human beings.

As a result of these investigations, some culprits / perpetrators were apprehended. Investigation found that a baby boy was sold to the team for 30,000 Ghanaian cedis and another baby was to be sold for 28,000 Ghanaian cedis after a deal was reached by one of the culprits ensuring help the team acquire another baby.

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“Baby harvesting” or trafficking: an ever-evolving threat in Ghana and beyond
Source: UGC

This is a very barbaric and illegal practice, which is why I applaud the investigative team and strongly accept that they take other collaborative measures as indicated to protect health and safety. public authorities by preventing and detecting this organized crime.

It will be useful to note that the culprits are treated with rigor according to the law and are not left behind.

A lack of communication and awareness about harvesting / milking babies makes women more vulnerable to this ever-evolving threat.

As an activist for women and children with my grounded vision on advancing women’s and children’s issues as well as a better results mission for this same group, I take a keen interest in this press release. and on this matter of relevance.

In my quest to ensure the realization of this vision and mission, I have sought to educate all mothers, prospective mothers and society at large on this inhuman act to avoid the naivety of these questions.

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Infant trafficking is gradually becoming established in many African countries. The existence of baby factories where young women of childbearing age are forcibly imbued with the principal of selling babies is also of great concern and an ongoing practice.

These serve as a means of creating wealth for the perpetrators while subjecting mother and baby to indescribable trauma and ineffable abuse.

Reports indicate that several of these babies are illegally sold to adoptive parents locally or internationally.

Some of these babies are trafficked into prostitution when they are older, abused by child labor, used for ritual purposes and sometimes have their organs removed for sale.

The main and root causes of the “baby harvest” and trafficking include, but are not limited to, childlessness, poverty, high unemployment rates and the lack of ethical behavior of “professionals” in the field. health.

Surprisingly, in some countries pregnant women are abducted and their babies sold.

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During childbirth, some pregnant women are informed that their babies could not survive when in fact the babies have been traded or sold to third parties.

Meanwhile, it is also established that some of these pregnant women are rather responsive to demand as they are drawn by false promises of jobs, money, decent housing, travel opportunities to the city. foreigner, etc. in exchange for their babies.

To my female colleagues, are these enticing offers worth your baby’s life? Certainly not!

The following preventive approaches are strongly recommended:

Pregnant mothers need to be extremely vigilant as “baby factories” are usually disguised as maternity wards, clinics, etc., with traffickers being or pretending to be doctors, nurses, social workers, traditional birth attendants, for nothing. cite only a few.

Pregnant mothers should not ignore the fact that this hideous crime is on the increase and affects multiple victims, hence the need to exercise extreme vigilance in seeking maternal care.

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Practical strategies need to be established to raise awareness, advance understanding, and support efforts to prevent, identify and respond to “baby harvest” and trafficking.

This places a huge responsibility on the shoulders of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection to embark on occasional advertising dissemination on this issue. Honorable Minister, a charge to keep.

Counseling can also be used as a tool through which couples without children are taken care of and encouraged to go through the right channel for a suitable adoption service to the social welfare service and to seek appropriate medical care to verify their ability to give birth or otherwise.

Moreover, there should be the establishment of transparent mechanisms for the adoption process as well as an improvement of policies and legislation in this area.

Young people of childbearing age also need comprehensive counseling, mentoring and coaching to help them develop a positive self-image and to forgo trading their babies for cash or other offers.

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Sufficient funding should be allocated and distributed to relevant organizations to help create massive anti-trafficking awareness campaigns and programs regarding this canker and its dangers to victims.

It will be worthy of applause to engage reputable law enforcement attorneys and law firms to handle “baby harvest” and trafficking cases free of charge with special training for judges in this area. area of ​​concern so that victims of such injustices can seek legal assistance at absolutely zero cost and also without any form of embarrassment.

I firmly believe that if the above recommendations are followed and maintained, this evolving threat of ‘harvesting babies’ and trafficking will be nipped in the bud with significant progress in Ghana.

Ubuntu; I am because you are.

Together, let us take pragmatic steps to stem this threat.

Article by:

Joyce Ohenewaa Kwapong

Diplomatic Fellow; International Federation for Gender and Human Rights.

Ghana Jobs for Graduates 2018

Visioneer; Women of Legacy Foundation.

Email: [email protected]

Facebook / Instagram: Joyce Ohenewaa Kwapong

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