Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities
Articles Information
Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vol.5, No.4, Dec. 2019, Pub. Date: Nov. 28, 2019
Gender Role Reforms in Ghana: Analysis of the Nature, Drivers, and Dimensions in Rural and Urban Contexts
Pages: 408-419 Views: 1552 Downloads: 350
Authors
[01] Bernice Wadei, Department of Geography and Rural Development, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
[02] Prince Osei-Wusu Adjei, Department of Geography and Rural Development, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
[03] David Forkuor, Department of Geography and Rural Development, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
Abstract
Gender roles play a critical function in development processes. Gender role expectations by society led to gender stereotyping which placed limits on the potential of women and men to utilize their abilities. The stereotypical expectations from both men and women subsequently created the conventional gender division of labour where men were perceived as breadwinners while women were domestic moderators and passive recipients. Presently however, gender roles are shifting as the male breadwinner system has declined because more women are steadily entering active employment. Even though there are pieces of evidence of the transition in Ghana, the nature, drivers and dimensions of the transition process has been either unclear or not well documented. Therefore, using the mixed method approach, with a sample size of 400 households, this research examined how the transition process is happening, the factors facilitating the changes and the areas in which the changes are happening. Gender transition is currently both unidirectional and dual in rural areas and mainly dual/reversal in urban areas. Education is the main driver of the transition process in Ghana, both in rural and urban spaces alike while the economic dimension of the change in gender roles is the most common.
Keywords
Gender Roles, Nature, Dimensions, Drivers, Gender Transition, Ghana
References
[01] United Nations, 2014. World Survey on the Role of Women in Development 2014 Gender Equality and Sustainable Development, United Nations publication, Sales no. E. 14. IV. 6.
[02] Christiansen, L., Lin, H., Pereira, J., Topalova, P. and Turk, R., 2016. Unlocking Female Employment Potential in Europe Drivers and Benefits, International Monitory Fund, European Department and Strategy, policy and Review Department.
[03] Abdi, H. A., 2015. Factors Influencing the Changing of Gender Roles Among the Somali Women of Garissa County.
[04] O’Sullivan, M., Simunkova, B. and Horky, O., 2011. Gender in Development Matters; Resource Book and Training Kit for Development Practitioners, Open Society, p. b. c.
[05] Hussain, M., Naz, A., Khan, W., Daraz, U. and Khan, Q., 2015. Gender stereotyping in family: An institutionalized and normative mechanism in Pakhtun society of Pakistan. SAGE Open, 5 (3), p. 2158244015595258.
[06] Ndlovu, S. and Mutale, S. B., 2013. Emerging trends in women’s participation in politics in Africa. American International Journal of Contemporary Research, 3 (11), pp. 72-79.
[07] Sultan, M. and Hasan, B., 2014. Migration, Conceptions of Masculinity and Femininity and Changing Gender Norms, KNOMAD International Conference on Internal Migration and Urbanization, Dhaka, April 30-May 1, 2014.
[08] Addo, M-A., 2012. Advancing Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women: Ghana’s Experience, UNDCF Vienna Policy Dialogue.
[09] Gentry, J. W., Commuri, S. and Jun, S., 2003. "Review of Literature on Gender in the Family. Academy of Marketing Science Review, 2003, p. 1.
[10] Knodel, J., Loi, V. M., Jayakody, R. and Huy, V. T., 2004. Gender roles in the family: change and stability in Vietnam.
[11] Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2011. Doing Better for Families.
[12] Haines, E. L., Deaux, K. and Lofaro, N., 2016. The times they are a-changing… or are they not? A comparison of gender stereotypes, 1983–2014. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 40 (3), pp. 353-363.
[13] Oláh, L. S., Richter, R. and Kotowska, E. I., 2014. State-of-the-Art Report; The new roles of men and women and implications for families and societies, Families and Societies, Working Paper Series, Vol. 11.
[14] Von Bertalanffy, L., 1973, General System Theory (Revised Edition), George Braziller, New York.
[15] Chikere, C. C. and Nwoka, J., 2015. The Systems Theory of Management in Modern Day Organizations-A Study of Aldgate Congress Resort Limited Port Harcourt. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, 5 (9), pp. 1-7.
[16] Agassi, B. J., 1989. Theories of Gender Equality: Lessons from the Israeli Kibbutz, Gender &Society, Vol. 3 No. 2, pp 160-186.
[17] Nwosu, I. E., 2012. Gender Role Perceptions and the Changing Role of Women in Nigeria. International Journal of Agric. and Rural Dev, 15 (3), pp. 1240-1246.
[18] Morgaine, C., 2001. Family systems theory. Unpublished manuscript. Portland State University. Retrieved from: http://web.pdx.edu/~cbcm/CFS410U/FamilySystemsTheory.Pdf.
[19] Tamas, A., 2000. System Theory in Community Development, Ontario.
[20] The World Bank, 2011. World Development Report 2012 Gender Equality and Development, Washington DC.
[21] Marcus, R., Page, E., Rebecca Calder, R. and Foley, C., 2014. Drivers of Change in gender nrms; an Annotated bibliography.
[22] Modernizing Women: Gender and Social Change in the Middle East, Third Edition, Boulder, USA.
[23] Scott, J. and Clery, E., 2013. Gender Roles; An incomplete revolution? British Social Attitudes 30, NatCen Social Research.
[24] Scott, J., 2008. Changing Gender Role Attitudes.
[25] United Nations (New York, NY [etc.]), 2011. Men in families and family policy in a changing world. United nations (UN). Department of economic and social affairs (DESA).
[26] Equal Opportunities Commission, 2007. Fathers and the modern family, www.eoc.org.uk.
[27] Lamb, M. E. ed., 2004. The role of the father in child development. John Wiley & Sons.
[28] Harrington, B., Van Deusen, F. and Ladge, J., 2010. The new dad: Exploring fatherhood within a career context. Boston: Boston College Center for Work and Family.
[29] Barnett, R. C. and Hyde, S. J., 2001. Women, Men, Work, and Family an Expansionist Theory, American Psycholoaical Association, Inc. Vol. 56, No. 10 pp. 781-796.
[30] Singhal, R., 2003. Women, Gender and Development: The Evolution of Theories and Practice, Psychology and Developing Societies, Vol. 15 (2) pp 165-185, Sage Publications, New Delhi/Thousand Oaks/London.
[31] Karam, A., 2013. Education as the Pathway towards Gender Equality, UN Chronicle, Vol. L No. 4.
[32] Seguino, S., 2006. The Great Equalizer? Globalization Effects on Gender Equality in Latin America and the Caribbean, University of Vermont, Burlington.
[33] Government of Ghana, International Labour Organisation and United Nations Development Programme, 2004, An Employment Framework for Poverty Reduction in Ghana, Accra.
[34] Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2012. Poverty reduction and Pro-Poor Growth: The Role of Empowerment, Sec 2; Women’s economic empowerment, OECD 2012.
[35] Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, 2015. National Gender Policy; Mainstreaming Gender Equality and Women ‘s Empowerment into Ghana ‘s Development Efforts.
[36] Ely, R. J., Ibarra, H. and Kolb, M. D., 2011. Taking Gender into Account: Theory and Design for Women’s Leadership Development Programs, Academy of Management Learning & Education, Vol. 10, No. 3, 474–493.
[37] Reeves, H. and Baden, S., 2000. Gender and Development: Concepts and Definitions, Department for International Development, BRIDGE (Development - Gender), Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex.
[38] United Nations Development Programme, 2013. Public perceptions on gender equality in politics and business, UNDP, Georgia.
[39] Gomez, B. and Jones III, J. P. eds., 2010. Research methods in geography: A critical introduction (Vol. 6). John Wiley & Sons.
[40] Oppenheimer, K. V., 1997. Women's Employment and the Gain to Marriage: The Specialization and Trading Model, Annual Review of Sociology, Vol. 23, pp. 431-453, Annual Reviews Inc.
600 ATLANTIC AVE, BOSTON,
MA 02210, USA
+001-6179630233
AIS is an academia-oriented and non-commercial institute aiming at providing users with a way to quickly and easily get the academic and scientific information.
Copyright © 2014 - American Institute of Science except certain content provided by third parties.