AFFIRMATIVE ACTION AS A STRATEGY FOR WOMEN'S POLITICAL INCLUSION IN GHANA: AN EXAMINATION OF SOCIO-CULTURAL FACTORS IMPINGING ON THE USE OF AFFIRMATIVE ACTION IN THE UPPER EAST REGION

Abstract

The problem of the study was: while socio-cultural factors and forces are continually cited as impinging on affirmative action initiatives, there has not been any concerted effort to examine affirmative action as an effective strategy and tool for deriving the socio-cultural changes that are needed. Methodologically, the multi-site case study method was used with the Bolgatanga Municipal, the Bongo and the Talensi-Nabdam Districts in the Upper East Region as study locations. The descriptive and explanatory designs were the main designs for this study. The analytical approach was largely qualitative. Key informant interviews, life histories and focus group discussions were the main tools of data collection. The major objective was to explore the ideological basis of affirmative action and its socio-cultural implications for promoting the political inclusion of women in Ghana. Results indicated that ideologically, affirmative action is perceived as policies and strategies that aim at the protection of the interests of vulnerable groups such as women's interest in politics in the face of socio-culturallimitations. In the people's worldview, it is considered as an opportunity by which the traditional perceptions of the place of women as homemakers could be positively transformed to include them in decision making and politics. Programmatically affirmative action programmes such as capacity building and mentoring of women for participation in elections and political leadership and facilitating the networking of women in political life were found to be in existence in the region and these were found to be based on existing policies and treaties. Sociocultural factors were found to be a major impediment to affirmative action programmes for the promotion of women's political participation. The study concluded that the role of affirmative action in promoting the recognition of women in decision making and politics is not adequate, and recommended the adoption of formally designed frameworks by the private, local authority and civil society institutions for promoting the efficacy of the ongoing efforts towards women's political participation.