Social workers’ perspective on the impact of Covid-19 on clients’ vulnerability in Ghana

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Safe at Home? Narratives of Reintegrated Victims of Child Trafficking from Lake Volta, Ghana

Abstract Trafficking in persons; especially children, have been a major concern in the fields of medicine, early childhood development, and social welfare among others. The impact of trafficking on victims of all ages is devastating. However, after their rescue, intervention processes have been rehabilitation and reintegration into societies of origin in most instances. The current study investigated the experiences of child victims rescued from fishing on Lake Volta, Ghana and reunited with their families in communities from where they were once trafficked. The study explored (a) whether or not reintegrated trafficked victims of school going age were placed in school; (b) whether or not reintegration connotes the absence of exploitative work and (c) if reintegrated children are free from other abuses aside exploitative work. Taking a qualitative approach of enquiry, the study purposively selected 24 participants with whom data was generated through in-depth interviews using an interview guide. It was found that how each participant experienced the core themes – education, exploitative work and other abuses - was dependent on the condition of the home the child was returned to. While some homes supported participants to escape work and abuse, others could not do so given the poor prevailing conditions in some instances. The study therefore recommends a holistic intervention package to make for a safe haven

Inclusive Education and Disabilities : Narratives from Ghana

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THE EVOLVING PARADIGM OF COMMUNITY MINING SCHEMES IN GHANA: PROSPECTS AND LESSONS FOR OTHER MINING JURISDICTIONS IN AFRICA

Context and background: Globally, Ghana is one of the major mining jurisdictions that has rolled out community mining schemes in response to curbing illegal small-scale mining. However, knowledge about the emerging paradigms in terms of their capacity, operations, and contribution (COC) is very opaque. Again, not much is known of the scheme’s efforts towards inclusiveness, responsible and sustainable mining (IRS) in the quest of bringing to an end the long-standing problem of illegal small-scale mining. Little is also known about the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) of the scheme. The scheme is intended to provide livelihoods for members of the mining communities, promote sustainable and responsible mining, and stop the problem of illegal mining. Goal and Objectives: The paper examined the COC-IRS-SWOT dynamics of selected community mining schemes in the Ashanti Region of Ghana to determine the suitability of the schemes for scale-up within mining communities in Ghana. Methodology: This research case studied seven community mining schemes in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Interviews, Focus Group Discussions, site observations and validations were employed in data collection for triangulation purposes. COC-IRS-SWOT assessment and analysis were also carried out on the selected community mining schemes. Results: The study found that community mining schemes have the capacity and potential for employing several thousands of small-scale illegal miners in the country with better working conditions, and benefits. Job creation, reduction in land, and environmental degradation are some contributions and strengths of the scheme towards the achievement of the sustainable development goals (SDGs). Conclusion and Recommendation: Based on the COC-IRS-SWOT assessment, the paper concludes that the scheme offers a good model for replication in mining communities in Ghana and other mining jurisdictions in Africa towards reducing illegal small-scale mining, and environmental degradation for sustainable development in Africa. 

The role of the market in the development of aquaculture in Ghana

Aquaculture in Ghana has over the years been little productive despite earlier claims about the high potential of the country. These claims are supported by an abundance of latent natural resources that can support large scale commercial production and the existence of a strong traditional market for fish products. A survey of consumer behavior in the local market for tilapia and fish in general was conducted in Ghana. The data were subjected to tabulation and multivariate analysis to assess the availability of market for tilapia and the determinants of its demand among different income earners. Local production according to the survey is not able to satisfy the market. Whereas low income earners and large families are avid fish consumers, it is mostly the relatively small group of high income earners that can afford tilapia at current retail prices. The performance of Ghana was measured in terms of the relative competitiveness of the value chain of tilapia in China, Egypt and the Philippines, as well as with prices on the global market. All the three countries profiled had a cost advantage and this was a result of wide differences in the cost of some factors of production or their relative scarcity in Ghana. The cost of importing fish feed, high interest rate on credit and poor production technology were some of the bottlenecks that greatly reflected on first sale prices. While a kilogram of fish feed for instance cost US$0.3 in Egypt and US$ 0.53 in China, the average price in Ghana is US$1.96. The export price of frozen tilapia fillet from China is about US$ 1 while the retail price of frozen whole tilapia in Ghana is about US$ 6.5. Tilapia from any of the countries surveyed would be more competitive to that of Ghana not only in the global market but also on the Ghanaian local market given the current price differences

Roli Misra. 2020. Migration, Trafficking and Gender Construction : Women in Transition. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE. 230pp.

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Child trafficking on Lake Volta : lived experiences of rescued and non-trafficked children in the Volta region of Ghana

Trafficking in Persons has been a punishable offence since the early years of the 20th Century. Although Trafficking in Persons is known to have affected many, including children, its definition and understanding has been a major challenge to its eradication. Given the pace set by the Palermo Protocol in defining Trafficking in Persons. nations like Ghana have enacted anti-trafficking laws (Human Trafficking Act, 2000) aimed at punishing Trafficking in Persons and providing for victims of trafficking. Despite the enactment of the anti-trafficking law in Ghana, many children are still trafficked on Lake Volta. To explore how the concept of child trafficking on Lake Volta is understood in Ghana, and how children rescued from trafficking on Lake Volta describe their pre-trafficking, trafficking and posttrafficking experiences. I carried out an empirical study in Ghana. In the study, the views of representatives of anti-trafficking agencies, which included government organizations, international Non-Governmental Organizations and local Non-Governmental Organizations, as well as parents and fishermen on Lake Volta, were solicited on what constitutes child trafficking. Also considered within the study is the process through which the Human Trafficking Act was enacted in 2005. For the views of children on their pre-trafficking, trafficking and post-trafficking experiences, both, rescued and non-trafficked children were interviewed for stories of their daily lived experiences. Using in-depth interviews for the adult participants and participatory methods such as glitoto and drawing for the children, data collected were analysed using both narrative and thematic methods. Analysis of findings reveal contradictions within the views of anti-trafficking agencies on what constitutes child trafficking, and who traffickers are - especially whether parents can be traffickers. These contradictions, in addition to the culture of child fostering, and the widely held notion of work being an effective means of training children to become responsible adults obfuscate the nature of child trafficking and stifle efforts to eradicate it on Lake Volta. The study also described the experiences of trafficked children, and such experiences are compared to those of a group of non-trafficked children. Analysis focused on the nature and range of exploitative practices to which the children have been and are subjected. Cycles of trafficking experiences are identified and it is argued that 'home' is not always the safest destination for rescued trafficked children. The thesis ends with reference to the work of Arrnatya Sen (1999) and Nussbaum (2000) who correctly argue that enshrining rights in law amounts to very little in the absence of structures that can empower human beings to develop to their full capacity.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo