Girls in Mining in Ghana: Surviving Without Flourishing
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GIRLS IN MINING IN GHANA: SURVIVING WITHOUT FLOURISHING CSPS TECHNICAL PUBLICATION SERIES No. 2/16 Dan Doh Ellen Bortei-DokuAryeetey William Ahadzie Elaine Tweneboah Lawson UNIVERSITY OF GHANA CENTRE FOR SOCIAL POLICY STUDIES December, 2016 GIRLS IN MINING IN GHANA: SURVIVING WITHOUT FLOURISHING CSPS TECHNICAL PUBLICATION SERIES No. 2/16 Dan Doh Ellen Bortei-DokuAryeetey William Ahadzie Elaine Tweneboah Lawson CENTRE FOR SOCIAL POLICY STUDIES UNIVERSTY OF GHANA December 2016 CSPS Technical Paper i Published by Centre for Social Policy Studies College of Humanities University of Ghana, Legon Cover Page Image source: http://www.heemskerk.sr.org/CASM/CASM.html ISSN 2026-5905 ©CSPS, 2016 All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the prior written permission from the copyright owners. CSPS Technical Paper ii TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................... iii LIST OF TABLES .......................................................................................................................... v LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................................... vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .......................................................................................................... vii ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................. viii ACRONYMS ................................................................................................................................. ix CHAPTER ONE ............................................................................................................................. 1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 1 Background to Child Labour..................................................................................................................... 1 Statement of the Problem .......................................................................................................................... 2 Objectives of the Study ............................................................................................................................. 4 Background to Artisanal Mining in Ghana ............................................................................................... 5 Significance of the Study .......................................................................................................................... 7 CHAPTER TWO ............................................................................................................................ 8 LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................................................... 8 Defining Child Labour .............................................................................................................................. 8 Global Perspectives on Child Labour and Children in Mining ............................................................... 10 Poverty and Children in Mining in Africa .............................................................................................. 11 Gender Aspects of Artisanal Mining ...................................................................................................... 14 Child Labour and Children in Mining in Ghana ..................................................................................... 15 CHAPTER THREE ...................................................................................................................... 19 RESEARCH METHODS ............................................................................................................. 19 Research Design...................................................................................................................................... 19 Study Areas ............................................................................................................................................. 19 Sampling Approach ................................................................................................................................ 20 Data Collection Instruments ................................................................................................................... 20 Data Analyses ......................................................................................................................................... 21 CHAPTER FOUR ......................................................................................................................... 22 RESEARCH FINDINGS: DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF GIRLS IN MINING . 22 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 22 Age of Girls in Mining ............................................................................................................................ 22 CSPS Technical Paper iii Educational Background ......................................................................................................................... 25 Housing and Living Conditions .............................................................................................................. 26 CHAPTER FIVE .......................................................................................................................... 28 RESEARCH FIINDINGS: COMBINING SCHOOL AND WORK ........................................... 28 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 28 School Attendance .................................................................................................................................. 29 Future Plans for School ........................................................................................................................... 30 CHAPTER SIX ............................................................................................................................. 31 RESEARCH FINDINGS: WORKING EXPERIENCES OF GIRLS IN ARTISANAL MINING Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 31 Motivation for Galamsey Work .............................................................................................................. 31 Ownership of Pits and Employment Status of Girls ............................................................................... 33 Work Schedules of Girls in Mining ........................................................................................................ 34 Nature and Conditions of Work .............................................................................................................. 35 Period of Time Girls Work in the Mines ................................................................................................ 38 Terms of Payment of Wages ................................................................................................................... 38 Occupational Risks and Health Care ...................................................................................................... 41 Abuse at Work and Risky lifestyles ........................................................................................................ 44 CHAPTER SEVEN ...................................................................................................................... 46 SUPPORT SYSTEMS FOR GIRLS IN MINING ....................................................................... 46 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 46 Ghana 1992 Constitution and Child Rights and Protection .................................................................... 47 Legal Framework and Policies and Protection for Girls in Mining ........................................................ 47 The Children’s Act 1998 and other Laws against the Exploitation of Children ..................................... 48 Implementation Strategies for Social Interventions against Child Labour in Mining ............................ 49 Ghana Child Labour Monitoring System - Child Panels ........................................................................ 49 Public Education ..................................................................................................................................... 50 CHAPTER EIGHT ....................................................................................................................... 51 CONCLUSION AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS ...................................................................... 51 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................................. 51 Policy Implications 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