Cultural dissonance in Ghana’s child protection system: An interpretive policy analysis

Abstract

Ghana’s child protection system reveals a significant gap between its legal framework and its practical implementation. Despite being the first nation to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), Ghana struggles to enforce these mandates because of a direct clash between global standards and local traditions. This study argues that the system fails not because of a lack of resources, but because universal rights-based principles do not align with Ghana’s duty-oriented cultural practices. To investigate this gap, the research employs a dual-method approach, combining a systematic review of 24 core documents, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses, with Interpretive Policy Analysis to evaluate how society defines childhood, family responsibility, and welfare. The findings reveal that Western concepts, such as the “best interests of the child,” often function as tools of control, prioritizing individualism over Ghanaian communal values. This creates a “double bind” for families where the formal legal system feels culturally intrusive, yet the traditional kinship networks they trust lack legal authority. To bridge this gap, the study proposes a hybrid governance model that coordinates legal definitions with actual kinship structures, empowers community-based justice and diversion programs, and provides practitioners with culturally sensitive training. By treating cultural differences as opportunities for meaning-making rather than barriers to progress, this study provides a path toward a more robust child protection system in Ghana.