CHANGING GENDER ROLES IN HOUSEHOLD SOCIO-ECONOMIC RESPONSIBILITY IN NANDOM DISTRICT

Abstract

This qualitative study, examined the influence of changing gender roles in household socio-economic responsibility in the Nandom District of the Upper West Region of Ghana. Purposive sampling technique was utilized to recruit 96 respondents and in-depth interviews were conducted to gather data for the study. Secondary materials on gender roles in household socio-economic responsibility were also reviewed. The findings revealed a wind of change on gender roles thus new gender roles or changing roles of men and women. Men in the study communities who are supposed to be the breadwinners and decision makers of their households are gradually losing this identity and women on the other hand who are to be care givers and home makers are gradually assuming new identity as breadwinners, decision makers and household heads. The study therefore revealed a worrisome absence of useful social and economic roles for men in the face of the current division of labour within households, high underemployment, and marginalization of men. What is clear from this study is that the entire household, (women, men and children) pay a high price for adjusting to new gender roles and deeply held notions of gender identity. Based on the findings of this study, attention is drawn to the need for developing approaches to both poor men and women to acknowledge that men and women’s wellbeing are intertwined, and that to help women, it is also critical to understand men’s roles and reach men.