Prof. Esmeranda Manful

Professor

Dept: Sociology and Social Work
Room TF 22J, Third Floor, Faculty of Social Sciences Complex
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Research Areas/Interests

Child and Family Welfare, Gender, and Social Protection ...~more

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Publications

    Selected Peer Reviewed Articles 

    1. Abdullah, A., Mensah, F., Benyin, F. A. S., Cudjoe, E., Baffour, F. K., Manful, E., & Asamoah, E. (2025). Breaking the cycle: investigating the Social drivers of child witchcraft accusations and ritual abuse in contemporary Ghana. Journal of Religion & Spirituality in Social Work: Social Thought, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/15426432.2025.2559627
    2. Adongo, A. A., Akuoko, K. O., Dapaah, J. M., & Manful, E. (2025). Experiences of health care providers in the sociocultural context of the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Ghana: A descriptive phenomenology. Journal of HIV/AIDS & Social Services, 23(2), 119–144. https://doi.org/10.1080/15381501.2024.2427278
    3. Adongo, A.A., Akuoko, K.O., Dapaah, J.M., Manful, E. (2025) Breastfeeding complexities and sociocultural barriers in the context of preventing perinatal transmission of HIV: A descriptive phenomenology in Northern Ghana. PLoS One 20(7): e0327353. https://doi. org/10.1371/journal.pone.0327353
    4. Aryee, C. and Manful, E. (2025). Child protection realities of detained juveniles in a Ghanaian correctional facility: A qualitative narrative. Child Protection and Practice, 4: 100124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chipro.2025.100124
    5. Hollmén, S. H., Marful, A. B., Niskanen, T., Duah, D. Y. A., Manful, E., Pitkänen, M., & Idun, I. A. (2025). Kumasi trees – project of the hearts. Decolonial strategies for advancing urban greenery in a Sub-Saharan city. International Planning Studies, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/13563475.2025.2461664
    6. Nartey, A. K., Manful, E., & Dapaah, J. M. (2024). Sustaining Health Intervention Programmes in Ghana: The Role of ‘the Community’ in Community-Based Health Planning and Services. A Mixed Study. African Journal of Current Medical Research, 7(2). https://doi.org/10.31191/afrijcmr.v7i2.132
    7. Onzaberigu, N. J., Ofori-Dua, K., Dwumah, P., & Manful, E. (2024). Elderly Victimization in the Context of Witchcraft Accusations and Persons Accused of Witchcraft Practices Living Within the Gambaga Witches’ Camp: Understanding of Human Rights. Journal of Victimology and Victim Justice, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/25166069241281845
    8. Adusei, K., Manful, E., Ofori-Dua, K., & Yeboah, E. H. (2024). Hybrid masculinity in early childcare: a qualitative study of a Ghanaian municipality. Journal of Gender Studies, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/09589236.2024.2357788
    9. Manful, E., Esson, D., Aryee, C. and· Wiafe, B. A. (2024). Narratives of Ghanaian Social Workers on Community Leaders’ Response to Child Maltreatment. Global Social Welfare. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40609-024-00337-7 .
    10. Adusei, K., Manful, , Ofori-Dua, K., & Yeboah, E. H. (2024). Fathers’ motivations and expectations from participating in early child care: A study in Ghanaian Municipality. Family Relations, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1111/fare.13003
    11. Oteng, S.A., Manful, E. & Akuoko, K.O. (2024). From Social Protection to Personal Protection: Implications for an Integrated Framework of Retirement Planning for Informal Workers in Ghana. Global Social Welfare 11, 37–44. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40609-022-00235-w
    12. Oteng, S.A., Manful, E. & Akuoko, K.O. (2023). Sex differentials of retirement anxieties of ageing self-employed workers in Ghana: implications for retirement counselling. Ghana Journal of Sociology & Anthropology, 8: 32 – 59. http://www.ug.edu.gh/sociology/journals.
    13. Asamoah, E., Amaniampong, E.-M., Manful, E., Gyasi-Boadu, N., & Koomson-Yalley, E. (2023). Using Photovoice to Illuminate Challenges Facing Children with Disabilities in Inclusive Education in Ghana. Social Work and Social Sciences Review, 24(1), 7-28. https://doi.org/10.1921/swssr.v24i1.2025
    14. Manful, E., & Karim, I. (2023). A question of omission of care or social reciprocity? A pilot study of low-income families’ perception of child neglect in Ghana. Social Work and Social Sciences Review, 24(1), 71-95. https://doi.org/10.1921/swssr.v24i1.1976
    15. Forkuor, J. B., Ayim, M. & Manful, E. (2023). Exploring the interconnectedness between social work education and social work practice: perceptions of BA social work graduates from one of Ghana’s public universities, Social Work Education, 43(4), 1008–1023. https://doi.org/10.1080/02615479.2022.2161505 .
    16. Ayim, M., Abdullah, A., Bentum, H., Amponsah, E. B., Cudjoe, E., & Manful, E. (2023). Contributing to indigenous social work practice in Africa: A look at the cultural conceptualisations of social problems in Ghana. Qualitative Social Work, 22(1) 30–46 https://doi.org/10.1177/14733250211055487
    17. Bentum, H. & Manful, (2022) Reunification in Informal Foster Care Child Placement: Examining the Different Pathways in Ghana, Journal of Social Service Research, 48(5), 672–681. https://doi.org/10.1080/01488376.2022.2101584
    18. Koomson, B., Manful, , Dapaah, J. M., & Yeboah, E. H. (2022). I agreed to go because........examining the Agency of Children within a phenomenon conceptualised as trafficking in Ghana. Children & Society, 36:101–117. https://doi.org/10.1111/chso.12487
    19. Oteng, S.A., Manful, E. & Akuoko, K.O. (2022). Retiring in the Informal Economy: Implications for Social Policy Intervention for Ageing Workers in Ghana. Ageing International, 47, 415–432. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12126-021-09434-w
    20. Koomson, B., Manful, E., Yeboah, E. H. & Dapaah, J. M. (2021). Work socialisation gone wrong? Exploring the antecedent of child trafficking in two Ghanaian fishing communities, Children's Geographies, DOI:1080/14733285.2021.1990859
    21. Manful, E. & Abdullah, A. (2021). Conceptualisation of child neglect: A Ghanaian practice narrative. International Social Work, 64(3): 341–353. DOI: 10.1177/0020872818810382
    22. Cudjoe, E., Abdullah, A. & Manful, E. (2021). Parents’ Perceptions on the Outcomes of Children’s Participation in Child Protection Meetings in Ghana. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 30:1071–1081. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-021-01918-2
    23. Manful, E., Abdullah, A., & Cudjoe, E. (2021). When parents fail: Addressing delinquent child maintenance through informal resources. Research on Social Work Practice, 31(3):278-284. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049731520980801
    24. Manful, E., Cudjoe, E., & Abdullah, A. (2020). Towards child-inclusive practices in child protection in Ghana: Perspectives from parents. Children and Youth Services Review, 119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105594
    25. Abdullah, A., Cudjoe, E. and Manful, E. (2020). Creating a better kinship environment for children in Ghana: Lessons from young people with informal kinship care experience. Child & Family Social Work. 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1111/cfs.12764   
    26. Abdullah, A., Manful, E., Cudjoe, E. & Boateng, L. K. (2020). How Did I Know When to Report Physical Neglect? Ghanaian Mothers’ Views on Delinquent Child Maintenance, Practice, 1-17. DOI: 10.1080/09503153.2020.1730780
    27. Manful, E., Abdullah, A. & Cudjoe, E. (2019). Decision-Making on Child Neglect: Ghanaian Social Workers’ Views and Experiences. International Journal on Child Maltreatment: Research, Policy and Practice. DOI:1007/s42448-019-00041-6
    28. Manful, E., Umoh, O. & Abdullah, A. (2019). Examining welfare provision for children in an old relic: focusing on those left behind in residential child care homes in Ghana. Journal of Social Services Research. https://doi.org/10.1080/01488376.2019.1670322
    29. Manful, E. and Atakora, M. (2018). Work and study: exploring the social actions of undergraduates on a social protection scheme in Ghana. International Review of Social Research, 8(1):109-117. https://doi.org/10.2478/irsr-2018-0012 
    30. Abdullah, A.; Cudjoe, E. & Manful, E. (2018). Barriers to childcare in Children's Homes in Ghana: Caregivers' solutions. Children and Youth Services Review, 88: 450–456. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2018.03.045
    31. Manful, E. & Cudjoe, E. (2018). Is kinship failing? Views on informal support by families in contact with social services in Ghana. Child & Family Social Work. 23(4): 617-624. https://doi.org/10.1111/cfs.12452
    32. Manful, E.; Azumah, D. F.; Mainoo, O. G.; Forkuor, J. B.; Gyasi-Boadu, N. & Ofori-Dua, K. (2017) Gender Differences of Psychosocial Implications of Sexual Abuse: A Survey of Victims in Ghana. Gender & Behaviour, 15 (3), 9570-9583.
    33. Manful, E., Appiah, P. B. and Gyasi-Boadu, N. (2016). Domestic Violence in Africa: Exploring the Perceptions of Ghanaian Adolescents. Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2(4): 63-70.
    34. Manful, E., Yeboah, E. H. and Owusu Bembah, E. (2015). The Impacts and Challenges of the Ghana School Feeding Programme as a Social Protection Tool. Journal of Critical Southern Studies. 3, 40-52.
    35. Manful, E., Asamoah, E. and Bediako, A. (2015) Care in the silver years: Academics perception of institutional care for the elderly in Ghana. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 6(6, S4): 220-229.
    36. Manful, E., Takyi, H. and Gambrah, E. (2015) Admission to Exit: Acquiring life skills whilst in residential care in Ghana. Social Work and Society, 13(2): 1- 13.
    37. Yeboah, E. H., Abdulai, A. and Manful, E. (2015). Achieving Long-Term Poverty Reduction and Institutional Sustainability in Microfinance through the Dynamic User Focused Approach. Developing Country Studies, 5(14): 92-103.
    38. Manful, E. and Eshun, G. (2015) Ethical Ethos in Cross-National Social Research: Ghanaian researchers’ reflections. International Journal of Research in Social Sciences, 5(1): 238 - 251.
    39. Manful, E., Takyi, H. and Ampiah, V. (2014) Ghanaian Undergraduate Social Work Students’ Perception of Group Work. Journal of Emerging Trends in Educational Research and Policy Studies, 5(4): 387-391.
    40. Manful, E. and Manful, S. E. (2014). Child welfare in Ghana: The relevance of children's rights in practice. Journal of Social Work, 14(3): 313–328.
    41. Coombs, CR, Hislop, D, Holland, J, Bosley, SLC & Manful, E. (2013) Exploring types of individual unlearning by local health-care managers: an original empirical approach. Health Services Delivery Research; 1(2).
    42. Manful, E. and McCrystal, P. (2011). Ghana’s Children’s Act 560: A Rethink of its Implementation? International Journal of Children’s Rights, 19, 151-165.
    43. Manful, E. and McCrystal, P. (2010). Conceptualisation of Children's Rights: What Do Child Care Professionals in Northern Ireland Say? Child Care in Practice, 16(1). 83-97
    44. Manful, E. S. and Manful, E. (2010). Improving the lives of Ghanaian children: complementing the global agenda with a structural social work approach. International Journal of Social Welfare, 19 (1), 115–123.

     Peer Reviewed Book Chapters

    1. Manful, E. (2020). Leaving No Child Behind in Ghana: Is The Working Child Protected? In Frimpong-Manso, K. & Mohammed Zayan Imoro (eds) The State of Child Protection in Ghana. Accra: Participatory Development Associates Limited. pp: 5-21. http://pdaghana.com/index.php/pda-reportsz/item/62-the-state-of-child-protection-in-ghana.html
    2. Manful, E. and Manful, S.E. (2012). Development of Social Work Education in Ghana: Past, Present and Future. In Jared A. Jaworski (Ed.) Advances in Sociology Research, Volume 12.New York: Nova Science Publishers Inc.
    3. Manful, E. (2010). Children's participation: radio as a medium in Ghana. In Cox, S., Robinson-Pant, A., Dyer, C., & Schweisfurth, M. Children as Decision Makers in Education: Sharing Experiences Across Cultures. London: Continuum Publishing.

     Books

    1. Manful, E. and Forkuor, J.B. (2021). Vignette of Child Protection cases from the frontlines in Ghana: handbook for social work education. Kumasi: H_DA/KNUST. ISBN: 987-9988-3-1537-5.
    2. Perren, K., Halsaa, B., Thun, C.T., Manful, E. (2012). Majority–Minority Relations in Contemporary Women’s Movements. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
    3. Manful, E. (2010). The Development of Children's Rights in Africa and Europe: Comparing Legislation in Ghana and Northern Ireland. New York: Edwin Mellen Press.

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