Abstract
The existence of begging in Ghana is a historical phenomenon. In the past, it was interpreted in religious and geographical terms where the beggars in the capital city of Accra were said to be destitute Muslims coming from the northern sector of Ghana due to the poverty situation in the area. This study looks at the position of Islam on begging. It also highlights good ways of raising a child in Dagbon and why parents send their children to beg. Focus group discussions and in-depth interviews were used to explore the perspectives of mallams and parents regarding child begging in Dagbon and data were also collected through participant observation. Our study shows that there was a dichotomy of opinions between clergy participants (who stated that Islam does not support begging) and the parent participants (who believed Islam supported begging). The practice of child begging in Dagbon differs from how it is practiced elsewhere in West Africa. The role of the secular Ghanaian government regarding child begging, in spite of laws on compulsory education and a ban on child labour, is largely absent.
Highlights
Child begging, according to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), is a form of forced child labour1 (IPEC, 2015). Milne (2015) argues that child labour is a global menace and that no country in the world is immune to the problem
Focus group discussions and in-depth interviews were used to explore the perspectives of mallams and parents regarding child begging in Dagbon and data were collected through participant observation
Our study shows that there was a dichotomy of opinions between clergy participants and the parent participants
Summary
Child begging, according to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), is a form of forced child labour (IPEC, 2015). Milne (2015) argues that child labour is a global menace and that no country in the world is immune to the problem. Milne (2015) argues that child labour is a global menace and that no country in the world is immune to the problem. Child labour infringes on the fundamental human rights of the child especially the rights to education, good health and mental and physical development (Unicef, 2004). The trade-off that occurs between schooling and child labour applies in the case of child begging: begging disrupts time spent in school and reduces educational success (Fuseini & Daniel, 2018). The same definition is used in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UN, 1989) and Ghana’s Children’s Act of 1998. We use this definition of a child throughout the article
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
