The Centre for Migration Studies (CMS) undertakes a wide range of interdisciplinary research and policy-oriented projects that address contemporary migration challenges in Ghana, West Africa, and globally. These projects are designed to generate evidence-based knowledge, strengthen institutional capacity, and inform policy and practice on migration and displacement.
CMS projects span themes such as forced displacement, labour migration, migration governance, diaspora engagement, climate-induced mobility, urbanisation, migration and health, and social protection. Through collaborative partnerships with universities, governments, international organisations, and development partners, the Centre contributes to advancing Global South perspectives in migration research and policy discourse.
Research Project List
Future of Work Research Initiative (West and Central Africa Hub)
The Future of Work Research Initiative is a grants-awarding programme aimed at advancing research on the rapidly changing nature of work in the region. As part of the IDRC-funded FutureWORKS Collective, a five-year initiative focused on the Global South, the hub fosters high-quality research, evidence-based policymaking, and regional capacity-building.
Fostering the positive linkages between trade and sustainable development (TRADE4SD)
Trade is a central factor in shaping global, regional, and local development. Increased trade, empowered by the growth of Global Value Chains (GVCs), has boosted productivity and incomes in many countries. However, if not fairly regulated, trade might generate increases in inequality and negative impacts on working conditions in developing countries and compromise the environment.
Improving Women’s Shea Production and Resilience in Northern Ghana
This is a three-year $450,000 research project, led from ISSER, to test a package of training and financing for women shea producers in Northern Ghana. This project, supported by USAID under its Feed the Future Advancing Local Leadership, Innovation and Networks (ALL-IN) program, seeks to increase the shea sector’s overall profitability while empowering women to receive the full benefits of their work.
Using Mobile Phones to Improve Children’s Nutrition in Northern Ghana
This is a three-year $449,833 research project led from ISSER that uses communications by cell phone to strengthen nutrition among young children in Northern Ghana. The project, supported by USAID under its Feed the Future Advancing Local Leadership, Innovation and Networks (ALL-IN) program, is testing whether this approach reinforces the Resiliency in Northern Ghana Project (RING), a prominent USAID program focused on nutrition and resilience.