Abstract:
Calls for more female participation in politics have been featured strongly in developed
and developing countries since 1975, when the United Nations made women’s issues a
priority. However, women still face challenges in their quest to participate in local level
politics. The objectives of the study were to examine the socio-economic factors that
affect women’s participation in local level governance; identify the cultural barriers
that affect women’s participation in local level governance; determine the religious
barriers that affect women’s participation in local level govenance; and to explore the
avenues that exist to support women in local level governance in the Central Region of
Ghana. The qualitative approach was employed for this study, and an interview guide
was used to gather data from 11 women assembly members and two husbands of two
women assembly members, making a total of 13 participants. The participants were
sampled using purposive, snowball and convenient sampling techniques. The data was
analysed thematically. The study identified lack of self-confidence, limited funds,
unsupportive family, abuse and harassment, political affiliations in the Assembly and
unsupportive religious organizations as the socio-economic, cultural and religious
barriers to women participation in local level governance in Agona West, Gomoa West
and Gomoa Central districts in the Central Region of Ghana. The findings from the
study also showed that though there are some avenues such as NGOs, NCCE and
Abantu for development that support women in local level politics, such avenues are
not enough and, therefore, more of such avenues should be created in every electoral
area. While patriarchal beliefs still abound in society, some women have been
empowered through education and have been able to build strong social capital to resist
patriarchy and overcome barriers to involve themselves in local politics. The study
recommend that special development fund should be set up by the government to
support Assembly women to perform their roles and responsibilities within their
communities. Such funds may help them fulfil their promises, which may encourage
them to seek re-election that may maintain the few elected Assembly women in the
District Assemblies. In addition, Civil society and Non-governmental organizations
should support women to participate in local level governance in the Gomoa West,
Agona West and the Gomoa Central Districts in the Central Region of Ghana.
Description:
A Dissertation in the Department of Social Studies Education,
Faculty of Social Science Education, Submitted to the School of
Graduate Studies, In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirement for the Award of the Degree of
Master of Philosophy
(Social Studies Education)
in the University of Education, Winneba
AUGUST, 2020