Household gender decision-making dynamics and child reunification outcomes in the Northern region, Ghana
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: The study examines the dynamics of gender decision-making and the results of child reintegration in the Northern Region of Ghana. The study was guided by two specific objectives (1) to assess the level and patterns of gender decision-making dynamics in rural households and (2) to identify the prevalence and key patterns of child re-unification in selected communities. Quantitative data were collected from 270 respondents across the Tamale metropolis, Kumbungu district and Mion district, while qualitative data were collected through interviews with key informants. The findings show that joint and shared decision-making is the predominant household mode (60.0) with arrangements dominated by women (21.9%) slightly outperforming those dominated by men (18.1). A strong association was found between the gender of the household and the poverty level (?² = 6.84, p = 0.033) and the gender of the head of household (?² = 8.26, p = 0.016). As regards child reintegration, 60.0 percent of children achieved a stable reintegration outcome, while 40.0 percent achieved an unstable outcome. The most common reunification routes were trafficking in human beings (18.1), children's homes (16.3) and foster care (15.6). The results of the binary logistic regression showed that the probability of stable reunification was significantly reduced and the marital status of the child (? = -0.281, OR = 0.559, p< 0.001), length of separation (? = -0.436, OR = 0.647, p< 0.001) and age of the child (? = -0.829) were increased. The study recommends strengthening the economic empowerment of households and promoting inclusive decision-making to improve the results of child reintegration in Northern Ghana.
Subfield: Gender Studies
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7166313534
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