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Consumption Inequality and Multidimensional Child Poverty in Ghana: Does Access to Communal Services Matter?

Author

Listed:
  • Raymond Elikplim Kofinti

    (University of Nairobi
    University of Cape Coast)

  • Damiano Kulundu Manda

    (University of Nairobi)

  • Martine Odhiambo Oleche

    (University of Nairobi)

  • Germano Mwabu

    (University of Nairobi)

Abstract

This paper examines the association between consumption inequality and multidimensional child poverty using the seventh round of the Ghana Living Standards Survey, augmented with administrative data sourced at the district level. Consumption inequality is measured using the Gini coefficient based on per capita household consumption expenditure at the district level. We draw on the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative’s approach to measure child poverty as a multidimensional construct of deprivations in children's survival, development, and safety needs. Employing the control function procedure, our main finding is that consumption inequality is positively correlated with child poverty. This evidence is consistent across different measures of inequality and child poverty. We also find that consumption inequality is positively associated with child poverty more for male than female children and for all children residing in rural areas and households with a disability. Relatively, consumption inequality has the largest positive correlation magnitude, firstly, with children's survival deprivations and secondly, with their developmental indices after survival. The findings further identify distortions in access to communal and social services in education, health and finance as potential channels through which consumption inequality increases child poverty. We suggest policies to address adverse child welfare outcomes in Ghana.

Suggested Citation

  • Raymond Elikplim Kofinti & Damiano Kulundu Manda & Martine Odhiambo Oleche & Germano Mwabu, 2025. "Consumption Inequality and Multidimensional Child Poverty in Ghana: Does Access to Communal Services Matter?," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 18(2), pages 605-650, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:chinre:v:18:y:2025:i:2:d:10.1007_s12187-024-10203-9
    DOI: 10.1007/s12187-024-10203-9
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Consumption inequality; Child poverty; Child survival and development; Endogeneity; Control functions; Access to communal and social services; Ghana;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty
    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs
    • H42 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Publicly Provided Private Goods

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