Hierarchy and structure of society
Ghana’s society follows a
hierarchal structure, in terms of family dynamics. In the Dagomba tribe (the
most prevalent tribe in Tamale), at the top of the hierarchy or the head of the
household is always a man. Subordinate to them you have teenage males, then
women, finally followed by girls and young boys. The power divide is very
clear; women are generally always with other women and/or their children,
whilst men are usually together. If men are having a discussion, women are not
allowed to have an input and often cannot be present. Girls are taught to
respect men from a young age and therefore must accept instructions from and
cater to the needs of the males in their family. For example, if you are a
woman who is substantially older than your brother, he will be able to
overrule your choices, simply because he is male. Additionally, gender is not the only factor
that determines your position within the hierarchy.
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| A young girl carries a tray of mangoes she is selling in Kanvili |
The treatment and expectations of children
are vastly different in comparison to Western culture. This affects girl in
particular, who are considered to be care takers of the home and therefore are
expected to do most of the chores especially in the kitchen. They are expected
to help with the housework, washing, farm work and selling in the market whereas
boys are allowed to relax and engage in their own past-times.
This inequality in treatment of
girls and boys affects the ratio of girls to boys in school. Unlike the UK,
where education is compulsory for everyone up until the age of 18, classes in
Tamale are dominated by boys. Often poor families do not see education to be as
important for girls, who will later marry and join a new family. Ultimately,
poor families prioritise their expenditure in terms of long-term investment and
as sons will remain part of the family and will therefore continue to contribute,
they are seen as a more worthwhile investment than daughters.
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| A young girl from Kanvili |
Inheritance and Property Rights
In Ghana, girls and women do not
inherit property (land/houses). Preventing women from inheriting property
ensures that wealth remains within a family, as when women marry and move to
their husband’s house, any property that belonged to a woman would be
transferred to the husband and so lost by the woman’s family.
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| A group of young boys from Kanvili |
Although these ideals
differ greatly from those of western culture, society in Ghana is undeniably
more difficult and the work/time taken to acquire property is much greater. It
may seem strange to understand, from the perspective of a western individual
who has never visited Ghana before but once you have seen and experienced the
way of life here, it becomes easier to understand. People are keen to create
stability in a community that epitomises ‘survival of the fittest’.
Unfortunately, women/girls face the brunt of this ideology and therefore become
disadvantaged as a result.
One of the best ways to address the
disadvantages faced by girls is to teach the importance of education.
Regardless of gender, every child deserves an education to give them the best
chances in life and allow them to live a fulfilled life, in which they are able
to understand and question things. Lack of education creates an opportunity for
people to take advantage of vulnerable individuals, as they will rely on others
for assistance with basic tasks and some may abuse this trusted position. In
Tamale, International Service project partner CreateChange , focuses on getting girls into education, which is key in terms of
Global Development.
WOSAG seeks to empower women who are affected by some of the issues above. They do this in a number of ways, including a microfinance programme, which operates by providing small loans to woman from rural communities allowing them to purchase land to grow crops or invest in business opportunities. This allows the women to create an income of their own and ultimately become more independent and less reliant on the males of their community.
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| Some of the women from Kanvili women's group |
Writers: Charlotte Dublin & Eunice Akanvaba
Editor: Verity Quaite
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