Combining work and childcare: the experiences of mothers in Accra, Ghana
Combining work and childcare: the experiences of mothers in Accra, Ghana
Work–family research has focused predominantly on western women. Yet the forms of economic labour in which women are typically involved and the meaning of motherhood are context specific. This article aims to explore the experience of combining economic activity and child care of mothers with young children using urban Ghana as a case study. Semi-structured interviews (n = 24) were conducted in three locations in the Accra Metropolitan Area. Transcripts were analysed using the general inductive approach. The results found women’s experience of role conflict to be bi-directional. With regard to role enhancement, economic activity allowed women to provide materially for their children. The combination of work and child care had negative consequences for women’s well-being. This research questions policy-makers’ strategy of frequently targeting women in their roles either as generators of income or as the primary care-takers of children by highlighting the reality of women’s simultaneous performance of these roles.
771-786
Waterhouse, Philippa
d5fe85bf-abd8-4c36-b3c2-3f1471640253
Hill, Allan G.
5b17aa71-0c14-4fbf-8bc9-807c8294d4ae
Hinde, Andrew
0691a8ab-dcdb-4694-93b4-40d5e71f672d
2017
Waterhouse, Philippa
d5fe85bf-abd8-4c36-b3c2-3f1471640253
Hill, Allan G.
5b17aa71-0c14-4fbf-8bc9-807c8294d4ae
Hinde, Andrew
0691a8ab-dcdb-4694-93b4-40d5e71f672d
Waterhouse, Philippa, Hill, Allan G. and Hinde, Andrew
(2017)
Combining work and childcare: the experiences of mothers in Accra, Ghana.
Development Southern Africa, 34 (6), .
(doi:10.1080/0376835X.2017.1323627).
Abstract
Work–family research has focused predominantly on western women. Yet the forms of economic labour in which women are typically involved and the meaning of motherhood are context specific. This article aims to explore the experience of combining economic activity and child care of mothers with young children using urban Ghana as a case study. Semi-structured interviews (n = 24) were conducted in three locations in the Accra Metropolitan Area. Transcripts were analysed using the general inductive approach. The results found women’s experience of role conflict to be bi-directional. With regard to role enhancement, economic activity allowed women to provide materially for their children. The combination of work and child care had negative consequences for women’s well-being. This research questions policy-makers’ strategy of frequently targeting women in their roles either as generators of income or as the primary care-takers of children by highlighting the reality of women’s simultaneous performance of these roles.
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Combining work and child care The experiences of mothers in Accra Ghana
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Accepted/In Press date: 20 April 2017
e-pub ahead of print date: 17 May 2017
Published date: 2017
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Local EPrints ID: 417266
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/417266
ISSN: 0376-835X
PURE UUID: 96b395f3-08fd-49a7-be92-cf10b79e8a7f
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Date deposited: 26 Jan 2018 17:30
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 04:06
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Philippa Waterhouse
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