Neighbourhood, built environment and children’s outdoor play spaces in urban Ghana: Review of policies and challenges

Abstract

Although a great deal of research work has been done by social scientists on walkability and playability, the focus to a large extent has been on the global north. Research work on the urban built environment and children’s play has not engaged Africa in general and Ghana in particular. More importantly, there is limited evidence of policies in terms of community-based practices and governmental policies and programmes for the promotion of play. The limited effort in promoting physical activities have to a large extent focused on walkability, yet evidence to date indicates that walking only constitutes a small proportion of the physical activities of children. This is against the backdrop of growing urbanization and the increasing reported incidence of sedentary lifestyles, less physical activity and obesity among children and the youth. Our main objective in this paper is to contribute to the literature on Ghana, and by extension Sub-Saharan Africa, by examining the extent to which playability features in city and national policies and strategies in urban Ghana. We conclude that while there is dearth of public policies on children’s play, with the situation in communities compounded by weak city government capacity to plan, implement and enforce development control to protect open spaces for children’s play and recreational purposes. The paper recommends a change in policy and practice on creating spaces in urban built-environments for children’s play in urban Ghana.

Sero-prevalence of Hepatitis B and C at a Primary Healthcare centre in Ghana

“…Additionally, studies in Pakistan and Taiwan have observed a higher rate HBV infection among males compared with females (26,27). In Ghana and sub-Saharan Africa where most infections are acquired at younger ages through horizontal transmission dynamics, this result would be expected as culturally boys rather girls would regularly be involved in more vigorous outdoor activities and are, therefore, more likely to get infected (28)(29)(30).…”

The built environment and child obesity: A review of Australian policies

“…The lack of focus and inclusion of children in built environment policy documents is not limited to Australia, with other high‐ and low‐middle income countries reporting similar findings. A recent review in Ghana highlights the lack of public policies on children's outdoor play, emphasizing a need for policies to consider children's play when designing urban built environments 75 . Similarly, a review of Irish local government policies found few policies supported the planning and improvement of the built environment for children with children's interests not adequately considered in policy and decision making 76 .…”

“…A recent review in Ghana highlights the lack of public policies on children's outdoor play, emphasizing a need for policies to consider children's play when designing urban built environments. 75 Similarly, a review of Irish local government policies found few policies supported the planning and improvement of the built environment for children with children's interests not adequately considered in policy and decision making. 76 It was recommended more should be done to increase the visibility of children when planning policy.…”

Effectiveness of Nutrition and Play Activities in Enhancing Basic Motor Skills of Urban Children Over a 16-Week Period

“…Every area of child development has the potential to improve a child's education, social life, and general welfare [30], basically children's basic movement patterns can develop naturally, and a higher level of child proficiency is achieved with proper practice, encouragement, and instruction, children who cannot receive instructions properly will show delays in the development of motor competence [8] which have an impact on emotional and social functioning [31]. Playing can develop movement skills, social, thinking and behavior as well as the emotional and physical development of children [32], [33], playing is a material that develops and is rich in space for exploration [23]. Which makes fun, new knowledge, and changes in children's progress [23], thus play activities and physical activity become very important for children's basic movements [34], [35].…”