The Positives and Negatives of Children's Independent Migration: Assessing the Evidence and the Debates.
Author(s): I. Hashim
For the most part the independent migration of children tends to be presented in the policy literature as pathological, since it is often assumed to be the outcome of disastrous situations (such as war or famine) that lead to the breakdown of family relations, or to result in the increasing vulnerability of children to economic exploitation, dangerous working conditions or abuse. This research looks broadly at the positives and negative experiences of children who migrate from a village in the north-east of Ghana to its cocoa-growing areas. It focuses on the dangers and pitfalls that independent child migrants report, along with the perceived benefits and opportunities. The paper argues that when assessing the costs and benefits of migration it is important to listen to and take into account children's own perspectives. By listening to children we learn that they often choose to migrate and frequently are positive about their experiences, as this often affords them opportunities unavailable in their home villages; such as the ability to earn an income or to pursue vocational training. The paper also argues, however, that children's choice to move must be set in the broader context of their situations, which place constraints on their choices at many different levels. In particular, children's independent migration needs to be set in the context of the extreme poverty and limited opportunities in the North of Ghana.