Understanding female migrant child labor within a cumulative risk framework: The case for combined interventions in Ghana

This article examines female adolescent migrant workers known as Kayayei in Ghana, who move from rural to urban areas seeking employment. These young girls face significant risks including sexual victimization, economic exploitation, and threats to their physical and mental health. The authors apply cumulative risk and ecological systems theory to understand these vulnerabilities and argue for the development of multi-component prevention strategies.

Key points

• North-to-south migration in Ghana has shifted to become predominantly female and younger
• Rural adolescent girls are increasingly migrating to urban and peri-urban areas for employment
• Female adolescent load bearers (Kayayei) face risks of sexual victimization and economic exploitation
• Adolescents lacking strong social and financial support networks are particularly vulnerable
• Multi-component prevention efforts are needed to address these risks

Limitations

This document is a conceptual article that identifies the problem and theoretical framework but does not present empirical evaluation data or outcomes from implemented interventions. It cannot tell us which specific prevention strategies are effective or how outcomes differ across different intervention approaches.