Is social protection in Ghana a right?
Date
2019-05
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Publisher
Development in Practice
Abstract
Through an analysis of Ghana’s Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme, this article examines the extent to which national governments have embraced the rights-based approach to social assistance. Based on interviews with beneficiary households and policymakers at national and sub-national levels, it finds that although official policy documents depict the LEAP in rights-based terms, beneficiaries see it as a charitable programme. The article concludes that if the LEAP is to play a stronger role in promoting citizenship rights in Ghana, it is important to strengthen district level structures to investigate and redress beneficiaries’ complaints in a timely manner.
Description
Keywords
Labour and livelihoods – Poverty reduction, Rights, Sub-Saharan Africa