Living apart together across borders : how Ghanaian couples form, transform, or dissolve in the context of international migration

Abstract

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Parental migration and psychological well-being of children. Longitudinal evidence from Ghana

“…The matrilineal kinship system prevails among the Akan community in Ghana, from where many migrants originate. The matrilineal system allows women more mobility, independence, control over their economic resources, access to inheritance, and decision-making powers in the family when it comes to children (Reed et al, 2010;Coe, 2011;Caarls, 2015;Cebotari et al, 2017). The lack of stigma about maternal migration assists their movement internally and internationally.…”

“…Children's vulnerability is also attributed to the change in the caregiving arrangement, where the absence of the biological parent is analogous to a reduction in care. In cultures like Ghana where child fostering is the prevalent practice, this disruption can be caused indirectly by migration potentially disrupting the primary parental relationship and leading to divorce (Caarls, 2015;Poeze, 2018). Absence of the parent(s) can impact the child directly because of deprivation and indirectly because of the transformation of the physical and psychological environment of the child, resulting in problematic coping mechanisms, as chronicled in a number of studies (White et al, 2003;Parreñas 2005;Dreby, 2010;Graham and Jordan, 2011;Mazzucato & Cebotari, 2017;Kharel, et al, 2021).…”

“…It could be attributed to the migration of one parent and the burden of responsibilities on the other parent or extended periods of separation and lack of certitude over reunification, amongst other factors. Research in Africa has examined the relationship between divorce and migration and found that women and men migrating overseas alone were more prone to divorce (Caarls, 2015). Spouse migration within Africa did not create strife in marital life as multilocal residency is standard practice in many sub-Saharan contexts.…”

“…Transnational families are diverse and dynamic, with parents frequently changing their migration status over the years, and it is common for children to have one parent abroad and the other away internally (Cebotari, 2020). Parental migration also puts pressure on marital relations, and it is common for migrant parents to divorce or separate (Caarls, 2015).…”