An Overview of the Obstacles to Gender Equality Processes in Rural and Urban Ghana: A Comparative Analysis

Abstract

The differential impact of development efforts on women and men has critically brought out the need to take a gender-transformative approach to development processes. Despite the tremendous efforts made, there persist some seemingly impossible obstacles to gender equality. The main objective of this study was to analyze the main obstacles to gender equality in Ghana in rural and urban contexts to inform policy decisions. The study employed a mixed-method approach involving the administration of 400 questionnaires to targeted households together with in-depth interviews and focus group discussions conducted in the Ejisu Juabeng Municipality and Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly. A key finding of the study is that while the impact of religion on gender equality was similarly felt in rural and urban areas, the impact of culture, illiteracy, family ties, and residential orientation were more pronounced in rural areas. Gender equality efforts and interventions must therefore not only be gender-transformative, but location-sensitive.