Poverty Effects on Child Development in Ghana

This book discusses the dynamics of poverty and their effects on children in Ghana. Using the Northern Region of Ghana as a case study, the causes of poverty among households, how poverty impedes child development, and the available interventions to mitigate the negative effects of poverty on children in the Region were examined. From the research, poverty levels manifested as low income levels, low educational attainment and illiteracy, and low healthcare of parents. Poverty levels were also high among informal workers particularly farmers. The research revealed dire effects of poverty on children-- particularly on their education, healthcare and risks of becoming street children. These factors made it difficult for poor households to truncate the vicious cycle of poverty as children were not provided with the needed environment to develop to their full potentials. We recommended an increase emphasis on child development issues through participatory design of national and local interventions for children, capacity building, and research on child development issues in Ghana.