Kayayei: A Consequence of Inadequate Family Support and Government Policy Failure

Abstract

This paper focuses primarily on the current conditions of girls engaged in the ‘Kaya’ business in commercial markets in urban areas in Ghana. The paperaims at establishing the failure of the family and government in addressing the ‘kayayie’ phenomenon in Ghana. The specific objectives are to find the causes, consequences, and attempts made by government to address the phenomenon, and the way forward. The methodology for writing this paper is essentially that of a desk review of available literature and information from the Ministry of Gender Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP), supplemented with academic materials and personal observations. The paper poses the question: why has the family and government failed to address the ‘kayayei’ phenomenon in Ghana? It is positioned on Everett Lee’s Push and Push Model (1960) which explains migration as having factors that either push or pull individuals to move out of places of origin. A major finding of this paper is that budget challenges affect the government’s capacity to provide funds and sustain projects aimed at improving the welfare of kayayei. The paper does not only recommend that issues relating to ‘Kayayei’ should be prioritised but also that a national data collection exercise be embarked upon to collect accurate figures to enable government take informed decisions, and to enhance monitoring and evaluation.