Child bondage in Ghana : a contextual policy analysis of trokosi

Trokosi is an aspect of the traditional religious and crime control practices of the
Dangme, Fon and Ewe ethnic groups along the West Coast of Africa. In trokosi, a
female child, usually a virgin, is selected by her family to serve in a shrine in reparation
for crimes committed by other members of the family. This practice has existed for
several generations. Among the Ewes of Ghana, which is the focus of this study, the
practice dates back to the seventeenth century. It was only in the early 1990s, however,
that trokosi was identified as a national social problem. As of August 2000, about 59%
of all known slave girls have been liberated, and there is already talk of success in
eradicating the trokosi problem. Considering the tremendous problems faced by several
countries, and regional and global organizations in their attempts to combat controversial
cultural practices, which dehumanize and violate the rights of its victims, the high
success rate achieved in this campaign is phenomenal.
The dissertation seeks to examine and explain the practice of trokosi, the controversy it
has generated as a national social problem, and to account for the success of the
Ghanaian anti-trokosi campaign. The focus is on "what works" (i.e. effective policies) in
attempts to transform or eradicate controversial traditional cultural practices such as
trokosi. This original research used a combination of qualitative research methods such
as documentary analysis, semi-structured interviews and observation, and is informed by
key perspectives in human rights and policy science theory.