The objective of this research is to understand why the northern migrant workers in Kumasi are vulnerable and what form of social protection is best suited in addressing their vulnerability. The research makes use of key concepts such as risk, vulnerability and collective models for organising. It discusses academic debate in social protection. With the new discourse on social protection, emphasis is paid to how individuals can contribute to achieve social protection. Neubourg livelihood portfolio theory based on the welfare pentagon is introduced and used as the main theory for data analysis. The research makes use of both primary and secondary data sources. The research reveals that the Kayayei engage in their work in other to gain money to better lives, learn a trade, for educational purposes, or to marry. They migrate as Kayayei due the limited employment opportunities in the northern regions of Ghana compared to the south. Most often since their work requires no basic training or skill, they easily begin to work in the market centres as Kayayei. Most of those working as Kayayei are women and children. The process they have to go through when working as a Kayayei and the risks they are exposed to makes them Kayayei vulnerable. They work in poor working conditions within the market centres. They have no voice to bargain because they do not understand the language of the south. The face severe accommodation problems and child care problems. They do not have health insurance and earn very low income. They are unrepresented, unprotected and unorganised; the Kayayei lack voice in decision making process. Although state policies exist to protect the fundamental human rights of all Ghanaians, there are no existing policies that protect their right at work. Past interventions to deal with their problems have been unsuccessful because it failed to identify the specific needs of each Kayayei and to identify that they are not a homogenous block. Moreover, interactions with KMA and DOVVSU indicate that the Assembly can help them only if they are an organised group. The research reveals that although few Kayayei often form part of other informal associations, among themselves they are unorganised. To this, the research concludes that the best form of social protection best suited in addressing the Kayayei vulnerability is for them to organise. Also an application of the welfare pentagon shows that KMA and other community NGO’s can support them once organised in achieving their priority needs, which include decent working condition and accommodation, health insurance services and child care services.

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Schiphorst, Freek
hdl.handle.net/2105/8770
Work, Employment and Globalisation (WEG)
International Institute of Social Studies

Bemah, Abena. (2010, December 17). SOCIAL PROTECTION FOR INFORMAL MIGRANT WORKERS: The Case of Kayayei in Kumasi, Ghana. Work, Employment and Globalisation (WEG). Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/2105/8770