Centering the Experiences of Urban Poor Women.

Childhood innocence: An infant smiles against her hopeless urban poor mother. Copyright © 2020 Muntaka Chasant

To put the experiences of women at the center of analysis, I started a project in 2020 to open a dialogue with poor women who live in urban ghettos and slums — to document their situations within the framework of livelihood approaches.

I’m hoping to capture an up-close account of their everyday lives, struggles, and aspirations.

Does poverty in cities affect more women than men?

A lot of the urban poor residents in Accra practice oscillating mobilities. They regularly leave for their rural hometowns and return to the city after months and years.

Economic, reproductive health outcomes, and gender-based violence always came up as some of the factors that shaped these rhythmic mobilities.

Why do they periodically leave and return to the city despite the harsh living conditions?

Below is one of such urban encounters.

What do you make of the smiling infant against her worried urban poor mother in the background? Childhood innocence?

Copyright © 2020 Muntaka Chasant