Women’s Participation in Ecotourism Development Within the Kakum Conservation Area, Ghana: Implications for Community Planning

Abstract

ABSTRACT The paper assessed the level of participation of women in the management of the Kakum Conservation Area in Ghana focusing on selected communities. Using a multi-stage sampling technique, 169 women were selected. Questionnaire was the main research instrument relied on whilst inferential statistical tools such as independent sample t-test, and One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were employed. The paper revealed that although to some extent the participation of women was spontaneous but induced and coercive levels of participation were also found operating simultaneously in the study area. This limits the effective operation of spontaneous participation which supports bottom-up planning, and active and direct participation of women in ecotourism development activities in the area. It is therefore recommended that District Assemblies in the study area and environmental related organisations should make concerted efforts to empower women through effective communication or education (workshops, fora and radio programmes) on ecotourism development activities.