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Multidimensional Child Poverty in Ghana: Measurements, Determinants, and Inequalities

Author

Listed:
  • Frank Agyire-Tettey

    (University of Ghana)

  • Derek Asuman

    (Lund University)

  • Charles Godfred Ackah

    (University of Ghana
    University of Ghana)

  • Antoinette Tsiboe-Darko

    (University of Ghana)

Abstract

Early childhood deprivations and inequalities have social and economic implications in adulthood and thus, their elimination is essential for child development. However, child-level estimates of poverty are rare in low income countries. Using data from two recent rounds of the Ghana Demographic and Health Survey, we measure the extent and sources of childhood deprivations in Ghana and examine subgroup differentials in child poverty. In addition, we examine the child quality-quantity by estimating the causal relationship between number of children and child poverty. Finally, we assess the sources of rural-urban inequalities in child poverty. We find that despite declining incidence and intensity of multidimensional child poverty, significant subgroup differentials persist in Ghana. The findings of the paper reveal that living standards is the main contributor to multidimensional poverty in early childhood in Ghana. Our findings also confirm a significant causal relationship between child quality and quantity in Ghana, there exist a positive relationship between the number of children and the intensity of child poverty in Ghana. Finally, we find that rural-urban inequalities in child multidimensional poverty in Ghana are attributable to differences in observed maternal and household characteristics between rural and urban areas. The persistence of subgroup disparities in child poverty may be detrimental to achieving equitable and inclusive growth in the country. There is the need for considerations of equity, fairness and social justice in the distribution and development of social services and economic infrastructure to ensure even distribution of social and economic opportunities and promote social mobility across groups.

Suggested Citation

  • Frank Agyire-Tettey & Derek Asuman & Charles Godfred Ackah & Antoinette Tsiboe-Darko, 2021. "Multidimensional Child Poverty in Ghana: Measurements, Determinants, and Inequalities," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 14(3), pages 957-979, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:chinre:v:14:y:2021:i:3:d:10.1007_s12187-020-09783-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s12187-020-09783-z
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    Cited by:

    1. Edward Martey, 2022. "Blessing or Burden: The Elderly and Household Welfare in Ghana," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 162(2), pages 803-827, July.
    2. Binayak Kandapan & Jalandhar Pradhan & Itishree Pradhan, 2023. "An Individual-Specific Approach to Multidimensional Child Poverty in India: a Study of Regional Disparities," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 16(5), pages 2075-2105, October.
    3. René Iwo & Mónica Ruiz-Casares & José Ignacio Nazif-Muñoz, 2023. "The Increasing Prevalence of Children Home Alone in Ghana: The Importance of Considering Regional Inequalities," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 16(5), pages 2013-2032, October.
    4. Isaac Koomson & Raymond Elikplim Kofinti & Esther Laryea, 2024. "Financial inclusion and multidimensional child poverty," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 22(1), pages 237-260, March.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Child poverty; Multidimensional poverty; Inequalities; Deprivations; Decomposition; Ghana;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I3 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty
    • I30 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General
    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty

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