Family Size Preferences among Female Migrant Workers at Agbogbloshie

Abstract

In patriarchal African societies generally, males determine the number of children to have but women may have preferences even if they do not achieve them. It is also assumed that migrant women may have some autonomy in determining their family size preferences. Migration of women may have some effect on their reproductive health due to changes in their socio-economic status, sexual behaviour and other factors that are related to the new setting at their destination. This could either make migrants forego or maintain their original family size preferences. Despite this, migration as a factor in fertility behaviour has been neglected as most researches, especially works done on migrants in Ghana, do not have much information on family size preference. Meanwhile, such information can enable government to address the needs of female migrants regarding their fertility behaviour. According to results of the 2015 Ghana Statistical Service report on Demographic and Health Survey, Ghanaians prefer large family sizes but Greater Accra Region recorded the lowest fertility rate in 2014 compared to the three northern regions (Northern, Upper East and Upper West) which recorded the highest. Agbogbloshie is one of the largest slum in Accra with most of its inhabitants as migrants from these three northern regions of Ghana with high fertility levels. The general objective of the study was to examine the influence of migration on the family size preference among female migrant workers in Agbogbloshie. Some of the specific objectives were; to describe their family size preference and the changes, if any, in them since they migrated to Agbogbloshie, to find out the measures, if any, adopted by the female migrant workers to regulate fertility at their destination to achieve their preferred family size, among others. A mixed research method approach was used to conduct the study. A total of seventy female migrants were selected for the study. A questionnaire was used to gather quantitative data while in-depth interview was used to gather qualitative data for this study. The findings of this study indicates that the migrants mostly have no formal education and still maintain their large family size preference but those with higher education have preference for smaller family size. They face several challenges in this slum: business and financial problems, limited access to accommodation, inadequate food, poor health and sanitation, among others. These challenges did not have major influence on the migrants’ family size preferences however. Based on the finding that their living conditions such as their sleeping places, sanitation, among others have influence on their family size preference, the study recommends that government should collaborate or team up with other stakeholders to construct well-structured low-cost houses for slum dwellers to protect them from diseases and fire outbreaks. Also, to influence the family size preference of some of those with large family size preferences, promotion of modern education (especially, of female children) in every community should be sustained, given the longstanding gender gaps in education. This is in line with the structural theory which opines structural changes resulting in low fertility.