UNICEF Global Study on Child Poverty

1
UNICEF Global Study on Child Poverty
Disparities - Ghana

• Initiating the Study, Methodology, Schedule of
  Study, Problems and Issues
• Presentation at Regional Workshop
• 12-14 February 2008, Abidjan

2
Background why Ghana?

• Despite some progress towards poverty reduction
  and meeting the MDGs targets in Ghana, there is
  evidence that about 29 of the population is in
  poverty and 18 is in extreme poverty.
• Regional and occupational inequalities still
  persist and some cases have even increased
• Very little is known about poverty levels of
  children and the disparities among various
  segments of children

3
Initiating the Study

• The Study Guidelines were received from UNICEF NY
  and shared with a number of research institutions
  including
• Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic
  Research (ISSER), Legon, University of Ghana and
• Regional Institute for Population Studies (RIPS)
  Legon, University of Ghana

4
Initiating the Study (continued)

• In the course of sharing the Concept note and
  Study Guide, RIPS and ISSER jointly submitted a
  proposal using their varied strengths RIPS
  (Statistical) and ISSER (Policy).
• Several discussions were held between UNICEF and
  the research team to finalise the proposal.
• These discussions with the RIPS/ISSER Team were
  held to iron out a few issues about the
  methodology and the budget requested for the
  assignment.

5
Initiating the Study (continued)

• Final submissions and selection
• The outcomes of the evaluation and discussions
  were communicated UNICEF NY and the Regional
  Social and Economic Adviser in WCARO, who also
  confirmed the suitability of the RIPS/ISSER Team
  to undertake the Study based on the Teams
  capacity and the quality of the proposal.

6
Capacity of RIPS/ISSER Team (I)

• RIPS/ISSER are research training institutes in
  the Faculty of Social Studies at UG
• Both have graduate students as stand-by pool of
  research assistants to assist in data collection
  as part of their research training.
• Currently, both institutes are involved in a
  north-south independent child migration study
  under the Migration Development Research Centre
  (DRC) on migration, globalization and poverty, a
  study which has a linkage with the current one.

7
Capacity of RIPS/ISSER Team (II)

• ISSER has been involved in several policy related
  studies, and therefore has the expertise to
  operationalise the policy template for the
  current Study.
• RIPS, as a population training institute has in
  the past employed robust statistical techniques
  in analysing large nationally representative data
  sets and therefore is well placed to
  operationalise the statistical template for the
  Study.

8
Communication with Partners

• All the relevant Ministries, Departments and
  Agencies (MDAs) were sent copies of the study
  Guide and issued notification letters in October
  about the Study.
• There was also an inception meeting to introduce
  the Study Team, discuss the Study and solicit the
  support of the MDAs, notably, the Ministry of
  Finance Economic Planning, the Ministry of
  women and Childrens Affairs, and the Ghana
  Statistical Service.

9
________________________________________
_____________________
Conceptual Framework
National Policies on Children Food Health Educatio
n Environment, etc.
Maternal factors Age Education Marital
status Occupation income status Place of
residence Religion Ethnicity Knowledge use of
family planning
Community factors Resources Source of water
supply Sanitation Health care facility Socio-cultu
ral beliefs practices
Household factors Structure composition Resource
s Type of household Household size Gender
relations
Child Poverty Education Nutritional status Health
status Labour/trafficking status

Source Modified from Ramakrishnan, U. 1995287
10
Methodology (I)

• There shall be a comprehensive review of national
  policy and institutional documents
• GPRS I and II, national budget documents,
  relevant reports from other local and
  international bodies. Further analysis will be
  done on nationally representative sample surveys
  namely, GDHS 2003, CWIQ 2003, GLSS 5 (2006), MICS
  2006, etc
• Further information pertaining to childrens
  development, poverty, rights and well-being will
  be collected from the following
• UNICEF MOWAC MoH the GHS MoE Sports and
  GES MoF Economic Planning NPC, NDPC, etc.

11
Methodology (II)

• The SPSS analytical software will be used for the
  analysis of data employing the statistical and
  policy templates supplied by UNICEF
• Logistic/multiple regression analysis shall be
  used to examine the relationship between
  maternal, household and district/community
  factors on one hand and child poverty on the
  other as appropriately as possible
• The unit of analysis shall be the individual
  child less than 18 years with regional as well as
  rural-urban comparisons as each dataset may
  permit
• Findings from the statistical analysis shall be
  used to assess national policy targets and
  responses to child health and poverty in Ghana.

12
Schedule of Study Team

1. Complete all preliminary work, including
   assemblage and scheduling of all possible
   contacts, meeting with contacts to collect data
   files and information by end of February 08
2. First Draft of completed Policy and Statistical
   templates ready by end of April 08
3. Final policy template completed by mid-May 08
4. Dissemination of Draft full country report with
   stakeholder and partners, including young people,
   care givers and service providers completed by
   end of June 08
5. Final full country report ready by mid-July 08

13
Work Plan
Activities Feb. March April May June July
Preliminary Activities
First Draft of completed Policy statistical templates
Final Policy Statistical templates ready
Writing submission of Final Report
14
Challenges being faced issues requiring
clarification

• Readiness of GSS to provide (in good time) Study
  Team with soft copies of relevant nationally
  representative datasets for analysis
• Availability of relevant secondary data including
  policy documents and the readiness of
  organisations that possess them to release them
  in time to study team
• Late commencement of study on account of the long
  processes involved in getting contract signed
  with RIPS/ISSER.